


Line It Up

by lou96



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Basketball, Annie is funny, Bottom Eren Yeager, Captain Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Carla and Annie are hilarious, Embarrassed Eren Yeager, Ererictober, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, Foreplay, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Levi/Eren Yeager-centric, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Eren Yeager, Office worker Eren, Sexual Tension, Sports, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), annie and eren are bestfriend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:54:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 44,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27215233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lou96/pseuds/lou96
Summary: Rirentober 2020 Day 26: Sport“...Ackerman quickly running at the flying ball lost by Schultz....shooting in midair at the hoop, the time buzzing as the ball leaves the hands….”The only thing Eren understood was the scream of a stranger yelling at him to move before it hit me. The stadium went silent for a moment, everyone had their eyes fixed on the unusual scene.Eren felt his whole body being pushed on the ground, his golden babies had flown in the air while his drinks had spilled on the people in front of him. He could hear the buzzing alarm and people talking over him to see if he was okay but his face was still against the floor, a painful tickle on his back could be felt.Clearly, basketball was not for him.
Relationships: Annie Leonhart & Eren Yeager, Levi & Eren Yeager, Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 194
Kudos: 367
Collections: Ererictober





	1. Fool or Foul?

"Nachos! Who wants some nachos?"

The atmosphere in the stadium was intoxicating. The music of the amplifiers was buried by the cries of the crowd. The green lights of the ceiling were moving in random circles, and the reporter was non-stop talking on his microphone. Rare were the moments when silence could be heard.

The seats were close to each other, quite often the elbows would be hitting each other in the excitement of the moment. Eren watched with some annoyance what was happening in front of him. To say that he would have preferred to be at home, and eat lazily in front of the television was an understatement.

The cold metal seat where he was sitting on was making a loud and strident noise every time he tried to move. Eren could almost believe he was in a horror movie. There was spilled beer under his feet, nachos lady not seeing his desperate wave for ordering food and the people behind him were screaming every time their team missed or made a shot.

Eren signed yet again, a headache that had not left him since he had passed the turnstiles and only got worse with every minute sitting there. The lyrics of a song unknown by him, a German band if he was not mistaken, continued to play in the stadium.

Eren turned his head towards his friend. Annie hadn't taken her eyes off the court since they arrived. Her sweater with the wings of the hometown team blended into the tide of fans in green and blue. She recently had her blond hair cut and with her angelic face, anyone could have thought she was a sweet, quiet and innocent girl. But when the referee whistled against her favorite team, even Eren did not dare cross the dark stare of her friend.

Yeah, Annie was a true fan, or maybe just a psycho but no one wanted to know which one it was. Anyone that glanced at Eren could have guessed he came directly from a reunion to the game. He was dressed in his work clothes, his loose tie and black suit indicated a long day at the office.

He had finished later than expected and did not have the time to change, or even tried to dodge their night out. He should have thought of using the back door when he saw his friend waiting for him at the reception. Annie had, so to speak, forcibly drag him into her car to face Friday's night traffic. Eren didn’t really have a choice when she took her car keys and pushed them into the crowd to look for their seats. Now hungry, tired and not knowing how long a basketball game lasted, Eren hoped his end was near.

“Captain! MARRY ME!” In addition to having to watch a game that he didn't understand the rules, or even interested him one bit, Eren had to hear crazy fans shouting nonsense all night long.

Eren sighed loudly as the clock showed less than 5 minutes before the end of the second quarter. Annie had briefly explained to him in the car the rules of basketball but Eren had listened to her with one ear. All he wanted to know was if they would be able to eat during the game. Eren turned his attention to the wooden floor. There were two teams competing for the ball, one was in white and orange, the Philadelphia Titans if Eren had heard correctly, and the other in dark blue and green was the Detroit Wings of Freedom. 

Even from where they were sitting, Eren was barely able to follow the orange ball. He shot furtive glances around him but he didn’t see a single person with binoculars. Clearly, Eren was the idiot here ‘cause he couldn’t understand how someone would pay for not even seeing the game in front of them. At least, the teams had different jersey colors but still he was not paying it. There were several rows from the court and the price of them almost gave Eren a heart attack. He didn’t want to think about how much the seats cost on the front line. 

“Braun passed to Hoover, who is now in the territory of Detroit…”

He was at least 95% sure that the blond beefy guy and the tall skinny one were the players the reporter was talking about. They were the only ones with the ball, so maybe there was hope for Eren and his night if he could listen to the man’s rambling about the game.

The shouting of the spectators increased drastically. All of sudden, Annie stood up, followed by the entire crowd. Eren looked around, not understanding what was happening but almost hoping that a fire had started somewhere.

“....Zacharias taking back the ball from Grice! Shots glances towards the other side of the court, the 24 seconds scroll quickly on the clock...”

Eren was no expert in sports. His mother would have told you that Eren should stick to weight training rather than trying pro in a league. But the goosebumps he felt from the excitement of the crowd and the yelling of the reporter _almost_ convinced him to watch the game. Eren remained seated while everyone was on their feet. Annie was too immersed to notice as she clenched her fists while staring at the court. 

“Long pass to the center. Schultz holding the ball and..”

Like an angel descending on Earth, Eren spots the infamous nachos lady at the end of the stairs. She was protecting her goodies from the jumping fans, not even paying attention to the game behind her. Only a second passed before Eren stood up. Annie only nodded briefly, her eyes not leaving the game when Eren told-scream her he was getting food for them. The growling of his stomach was the only motivation for him to join the horde of fans yelling now at the referee.

Eren checked his back pocket for his wallet, the smell of the food already blurring his mind. The cracks of chips and the sticky floor under his black leather shoes were not a good sign as he kept passing behind the spectators of his row. Eren only hoped he could keep his suit from getting dirty but a hungry man was a desperate man. 

“Man-on-man defense from the Titans. Ness, looking for an openi-passing to Schultz...”

Eren had his eyes on the golden prize. The nachos lady was still at the bottom of the stairs, now serving a beer to a bald old man. Giving a quick look at the court, Eren saw the two teams in front of a basketball hoop. Their movements were fast and pushing around to make a shot.

The Titans were giant in comparison to the opponent team, but the blue and green team had a lead of 5 points as shown on the big screen above their heads. Eren couldn’t care less even if their team lost. There was only one and half minutes left on the clock until the end of this quarter. He knew that he wouldn’t get a chance like that anytime soon. 

The stairs had been rather challenging for him as he had to dodge flying arms and people spilling beers while jumping in the air. As Eren finally touched the ground of the court, he found himself smiling for the first time tonight. He had taken out a twenty from his wallet, not caring if that was the price to pay to finally eat here. He saw the nacho lady now near the far end of the front line.

Like a wolf spotting his meal, Eren approached her. His green eyes only saw the burning cheese and the nachos as he finally stood next to her. People around them were screaming and yelling to shoot at some player, the clock was almost at the end of the quarter. 

“Bozado passing to Ness. Diving into the Titans’ defensive, passing back to Bozado who looks at…”

Eren gave the twenty, telling her to keep the change as he was now holding the Saint Graal of food with two drinks. He couldn’t go back to his seat without trying them, his stomach painfully asking for some love. His hands went to grasp his overdue prize, not paying attention to what was said around him. Some girls were scouting the same name over and over; _Captain! Captain!_ Eren brought the nachos to his mouth, his eyes closing to savour this moment.

“...Ackerman quickly running at the flying ball lost by Schultz....shooting in midair at the hoop, the time buzzing as the ball leaves the hands….”

The only thing Eren understood was the scream of a stranger yelling at him to move before it hit me. The stadium went silent for a moment, everyone had their eyes fixed on the unusual scene. Eren felt his whole body being pushed on the ground, his golden babies had flown in the air while his drinks had spilled on the people in front of him. He could hear the buzzing alarm and people talking over him to see if he was okay but his face was still against the floor, a painful tickle on his back could be felt.

Clearly, basketball was not for him.

A little growl escaped his lips as he put his hands on the sticky wood in the attempt to uprise himself. But what Eren didn’t expect was a pair of strong arms grabbing his waist to lift him up. 

Instinctively, Eren put his hands on top of the stranger’s to steady himself. A faith sigh was heard from behind him as the other helped him get up on his feet. When his shoes finally met the floor again, Eren’s green eyes saw people all the way to the middle row taking pictures and pointing at him for no reason. He furrows his brows in confusion. Maybe he had nachos all over his…

“Are you alright?”

The question had been asked from his savor behind him. Eren briefly closed his eyes. The voice of the man was _deep_ and slightly breathy in his ears. This was bad. He always had a thing for manly voices. Eren opened his eyes to look into the direction of his seat, wishing he had stayed there instead of listening to his stomach.

Several seconds passed before he realized that he still hadn’t answered the question of the stranger. Eren chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his head to regain composure. The arms around him had not left his abdomen, probably waiting for his reply. 

“I-I’m fine.” Eren took a step to put a distance between their bodies, not wanting to stay longer than necessary in this inviting heat.

The hands of the stranger gently left him as Eren started walking straight ahead. His heart was still beating loudly in his head from the shock. He apologized several times to the people on the front line that had received his drinks and nachos on them. The food was wasted on the floor and his stomach hadn’t stopped growing like a caveman. But he knew better than risking to approach the court again.

“Thank you and sorry about that.” He felt bad not directly answering the man but he didn’t want to turn and see the stranger that had helped him.

This warm voice was enough to give him goosebumps. Eren couldn’t imagine if the man himself was also handsome what would happen to his sanity. The clock of the halftime period had already started, few people were still at their seats and some were still shouting loudly some names but Eren didn’t pay attention to the brouhaha. He was almost at the stairs. 

His hand had found the stair railing when he heard the man speak again. “I should be the one apologizing.” Yeah, Eren was definitely attracted by this voice.

It would have been rude to keep ignoring the man, Eren knew that much. He took a long breath, chills were running along his spine. He slowly turned to face his last moment of rationality, his mind praying that the man wasn’t _too_ charming. His eyes slowly lost focus at what he saw in front of him. Or perhaps what he _didn’t_ see. There was no one. Eren looked around and on the sides but only saw the people of the front line staring at him and a referee making grand gestures in his direction. 

Eren saw in confusion the man in black and white uniform coming closer to him, in his hands was held a carton box with lots of snacks.

“Sir, this is in compensation for your food.”

Not thinking more into it, Eren went to his pocket to take out money from his wallet. He certainly wouldn’t refuse these treats but he froze when the man just put the box in his hands. “You don’t need to pay, sir.”

Eren watched in disbelief the referee smiling at him, as if the situation was totally normal for him. This was so confusing for Eren. Maybe it was a basketball thing to just give food to clumsy spectators that spilled theirs. The man in uniform must have understood his silent question because he simply nodded at him. “It has already been taken care of for you.” 

Probably thinking this was enough chit-chat for him, the referee simply turned back and left Eren in his bewilderment. Temporarily trying to find a sense of what was happening, a sudden realisation pumped in his head.

“Who paid for this?”

His question wasn’t meant to be this loud as some people glanced at him but the anticipation had made him less concerned about his surroundings. An amused laugh was heard as the referee kept walking across the basketball court.

“The gentleman from earlier, of course.” Eren felt his cheeks blushing unexpectedly at the memory of his earlier disgrace. He had _almost_ forgotten about that. 

With his hands carrying now treats he hadn’t paid for, Eren walked back the stairs. He could spot the blond hair of Annie as he reached their row. Hopefully, she didn’t see him falling on the court but Eren wasn’t so sure about that. People were talking jovially around him when he finally sat.

Not even a second passed before he felt a long stare making him squirmed in his seat. “How was the nachos?” Oh, this was not a good sign. Eren thought Annie would have simply called him an idiot and moved on but _no_ , she wanted to _talk_ about it. 

“Chocolate?” Eren put the carton box on top of Annie’s thighs, hoping this would distract her enough to not pursue her questions. Usually, this trick was working with his mom when she had asked him about his love life. But Annie was not his mom. Her gaze had not left his face even though Eren was trying very hard to change subject.

“So.. the Titans’ players are pretty tall, eh?” He saw his friend giving him an unimpressed look but he kept talking regardless. As if basketball was his _thing_ now. “The ref should totally have called a red card on the last shot.” This was probably not a thing to say ‘cause he saw the people on the row below them looking at him like he was a complete moron. 

“You are dumb.” Relief washed over him when he heard his friend insulting him. Eren felt himself smiling, maybe he was safe from an embarrassing conversation. He saw Annie putting the food box on the empty seat next to her. “But I am not.” Eren looked nervously to his side in the hope of seeing a toilet sign nearby. Annie had turned complete on her seat to face him.

“You know who he was, right?” Her tone had sounded serious, like this was not even a question. At the simple mention of the stranger, Eren felt his heartbeat increasing again. 

“Should I?”

As soon as he answered, Eren knew he should have shut up. Annie could only stare blankly at him for a minute. He could hear the nacho lady not far from them asking for who wanted a refill, and the man in another row talking on the phone with his wife about their dinner plan. Eren saw Annie’s shoulder shaking slowly as she looked down for a moment. He knew what was coming, he brought his hands to hide his face from his own embarrassment.

“E-Eren” Annie obscured her mouth with her hand as her chuckle was getting louder at every word. She was holding the side of her stomach with her other hand in the attempt to calm herself. “I swear, I cannot with y-you.”

Clearly, she wasn’t doing a good job at being subtle. People all the way to the front line were glancing at them, wondering what was happening. Annie was now hitting vigorously on Eren’s shoulder as she laughed hysterically at her friend’s idiocy. 

“Alright, tell me.” Eren had put his elbows on his knees. His body bent forward while his face was still in his hands. He hoped it wouldn’t regret asking her but he was too curious now. Annie had slowly reduced the sounds of her giggling, tears were in her eyes and her cheeks had turned a pink color.

“Eren.” He felt Annie shifting in her seat to stand up. The lights above their heads were dimmed as they were now only focusing on the court. Eren turned his head to see a woman walk to the center of the court with a basketball in her hands. He felt a tap on his shoulder.

“I’ll show you the video when I come back.” His friend started laughing again as she passed in front of him to join the stairs. Eren felt the blood drain from his face. _A video?_ He took the seat of Annie to eat the chocolates from the carton box. Maybe he could die from embarrassment _and_ diabetes, but he hoped the second option would be faster. 

“Fans of Detroit, are you here tonight?” The woman was talking on a microphone. Her voice sounded cheerful as she did a 360 to look at the entire stadium. Eren heard the people around him shouting excitedly for god knows what.

He didn’t really pay attention to what the woman was saying, he had more urgent matters to think about. Like why Annie was taking so long in the bathroom. Eren saw the projectors making random circles in the crowd.

The sound of tambors was getting louder in the stadium as everyone had become quiet for a moment. “...G104!” Eren was still lost in his thoughts, already imagining Annie using the video against him and bargaining it during their movie nights together. Eren had forgotten the number of times they had seen Rocky ‘cause Annie also wanted to box on a piece of meat. 

Eren was all of sudden illuminated by the lights from the projectors. He raised his head in front of him, he slowly tried to understand what was happening. “Man, it’s you!” People from above and below him were pointing in his direction.

The guy next to his seat was pushing him to stand up. “Come on! You gotta go!” Eren slowly stood up, confusion written all over his face as people were now cheering and applauding him.

The projectors were following him as he began to walk awkwardly towards the stairs. Eren never saw so many strangers smiling and praising him for no reason. The stadium went wild as he walked down to finally reach the court. He saw the lady from earlier coming in his direction, the microphone still in her hand. “We found our lucky fan!” The lady grabbed his arm enthusiastically as she walked them both to the center of the court. 

“What’s your name, pretty boy?” Eren couldn’t have been more embarrassed at the moment.

He heard some women in the crowd also screaming for his name. The lady was still looking at him, expecting an answer as she held the mic in front of him. Annie would definitely suffer for bringing him here. He was already planning where to hide her body when this would be over.

“...Eren.” As soon as he said his name, a random guy gave him a basketball. _Oh fuck._

The weight of the orange ball was heavier than he had thought at first. A weird giant mascot wearing a uniform with leather straps and a sword came next to him. Wings were on his back as he jumped around Eren while the woman kept talking.

“Well Eren! The game is simple.” The lights of the entire stadium had opened, Eren could see everyone looking at the court. He was so screwed if they asked him basketball questions. What were their names again? Schultz and Bazinga? The frozen mode of Eren didn’t seem to stop the lady in her explanations.

“You can either decide to do 2 points for 100 bucks, 3 points for a 1000, or half for 10,000.”

The last number did bring Eren’s attention back to reality. So, if he understood correctly, he would win 10,000 bucks if he gets half the answers of their jock quiz? Eren was maybe not a basketball fan but he wasn’t that stupid. 

Smiling now confidently, he brought his face closer to the mic. “I’ll go with half.” If the stadium was excited before, now people were going crazy over his answer. You could see from the ecstatic exclamations of the lady next to him that she was also in shock. “You going for the big money, huh?” 

Eren looked briefly over his seat, he couldn’t refrain from chuckling happily. Annie seemed to be holding her face in her hands, probably angry. Eren bets now that she would have wanted to be on the court too.

“You get to choose someone in the team to help you, who do you pick?”

Even before Eren could think of a common last name for a basketball player, the fans from all over started screaming their suggestions. He listened for a couple of seconds before deciding. How could he be so lucky? It was the easiest way to not make a full of himself with that answer.

“I’ll pick the _Captain_.” Eren felt proud of himself now. He didn’t know who that was. But if he won the 10,000 bucks tonight Eren would definitely buy them dinner for the trouble. 

“Captain! You are the chosen one!” Even the woman seemed happy with his pick. Eren looked to the side to see all the Detroit players cheering at someone.

The German song from earlier was now playing in the stadium. He finally spotted a man walking towards them. As he got closer, Eren furrowed his brows. The said captain was _short_ and in a suit, a weird combo for a basketball player. But this wasn't the only thing Eren noticed. The man's jacket was open over a shirt just as black as the rest of his clothes. The speed of his walk made his raven hair move delicately away from his face. Well, Eren did not expect _that_. 

He saw a _really_ attractive man from where he was standing. The captain’s physique alone was enough to make Eren weaks on his knees. The leg’s muscles of the stranger were contracting at every step, his adjusted pants were probably a crime against decency. Eren couldn’t detach his gaze from him. This night might actually not be a total disaster.

The man’s shirt was tucked in his pants to let the world admire his flat and most certainly firm stomach. His black tie was loose around his neck, a divine invitation to be pulled into a kiss. The entire stadium was chanting the man’s nickname as he arrived at the center of the court. 

The two men in suits were now facing each other. The woman host was still babbling to the crowd about something that Eren wasn’t able to quite follow. Even from far, he had been able to tell that the man was indeed easy on the eyes but that was nothing compared to up close. Eren bit his lower lips at the sight of the captain. He had always told Annie he didn’t have a type but fuck if this was not the most gorgeous man he had ever seen.

The steel gray eyes were captivating him as they stared back at his own leafy eyes. The man had high cheekbones, and a straight nose but Eren’s main focus was on the sensual mouth of the man. The pink lips were tempting, almost calling Eren as the captain cracked a little smile. Unconsciously, he felt himself smile back to the man. Why was his heartbeat resonating in his head? But this was a concern for later. 

A wave of shivers went down his spine when he heard the little chuckles of the man. Life really wasn’t fair. The captain had a nice laugh on top of being beautiful.

“Now Eren, you got only one chance to win.”

The woman looked at him, clearly waiting for something but he didn’t know what exactly. “You ready?” Eren did not move nor talk for a couple of seconds. He looked back and saw the captain’s hands extended towards him, silently asking for something. Eren followed the man’s gaze. He had totally forgotten about the basketball in his hands. 

Weirdly, the 10,000 bucks prize wasn’t on his mind right now. As he handed the ball, Eren felt a light caress over his fingers. He lifted his head to the other but the man was not looking at him. A shadow of a smile could be seen on his face. Fuck, the captain was _definitely_ his type. 

Eren kept checking out the man as he expertly tripled the basketball passed the center of the court. People were going crazy about him even though the man did not play with the ball for long. Eren went to where the other had stopped, not a clue of what they were supposed to do. 

“Sorry, but mm-” He hesitantly spoke when the man gave him back the basketball. “What are we doing now?” Eren was embarrassed to say the least, and it wasn’t just only ‘cause he was in the presence of a gorgeous man.

The captain just made a gesture with his index to turn and face the other way. Eren followed his command and turned to see the spectators of the stadium on their feet, also waiting for something. A feeling of déjà vu made Eren’s heart thump in his chest when he felt a presence behind him.

“I’m sorry about earlier.” The captain’s voice was only a whisper when he spoke. _Fuck._ Eren knew that voice, liked that voice, and could now confirm that _indeed_ it belonged to a charming man. 

“It was you.” It wasn’t a question. Eren could recognize this voice anywhere, the shivers of anticipation made him close his eyes. He was blessed again with the sweet chuckles of the man behind him.

A light touch on his elbows made Eren quickly aware of his surroundings. The brouhaha of the fans came back to him as the hands of the captain went from his elbows to gently follow his forearms.

“Lower your center.” A small pressure inside Eren’s feet made them go apart while he opened his legs and bent his knees at the same time. _Yeager, you fucking dumbass._ Annie’s voice was insulting him in his head as he finally understood the situation he had got himself into. 

Eren felt a warm body embracing him from behind. A muscular chest encountered his back while a deep voice was heard next to his ear. “You are too stiff, Eren.”

Who would have thought that a whisper could be _so_ indecent. Eren would probably have dreams about the way the man had said his name. It was low, intimate, and only meant for him. The captain’s hands went over his.

“What are you gonna do with the money?” Eren chuckled slightly at the question. 

This was insane. As if he could successfully shoot from half-court. That’s probably why everyone had gone wild at his choice.

“You think I have a chance?” Eren wasn’t sure if he was referring to the shoot, or something else at this point.

A soft brush at the crook of his neck sent goosebumps all over his body. The man delicately moved his nose on his tanned skin, Eren could tell he was smiling.

“Should we try?” The teasing tone only made Eren lean more of his body onto the captain’s. The cheers of the spectators seemed to have doubled in volume when the men got closer together. Their joint hands slowly lifted the basketball in the air. 

Eren felt the arms of the man guided him as they positioned themselves to face the hoop. They were so far from it. “Jump when I say it.”

The music had suddenly got louder, the captain was firmly holding the ball with Eren. His heartbeats were deafening in his ears but the voice of the man was as clear as the day when he heard his final command. “Now, Eren.”

The ball left his hands at the same time as both the captain and himself jumped in the air. It was actually the man that had shot the basketball for him. The captain had given the final push to allow the ball to have a long and high arc. The sound of his shot not even touching the ring resonated in an astonished stadium. 

Even before Eren could process what was happening, he felt himself being pulled into a strong hug by the mascot of the team. “Oh my God! He did it!” The host was going crazy as she kept screaming in her mic. “10,000 dollars everyone!”

He couldn’t believe it as the basketball players were now surrounding him to celebrate his shot. The applause and whistles of the crowd were cheering for Eren but his mind was only thinking about a certain man. His gaze searched among the people on the court the attractive captain that had made this possible. _There_. The man was now under the hoop, watching Eren with an amused smile on his lips. 

Eren got pulled by the arm by the screaming woman. She brought them both back to the middle of the court, a huge check in paper was held by two cheerleaders. “Congratulations again Eren!” Reporters took some pictures of him while he posed with the check. It felt surreal. He had never held a basketball before nor even knew who the team’s players were but here he was with a 10,000 bucks prize in his hands. 

Everything went quickly after that, the host finished with a round of applause and wrapped up by waving at the crowd. Eren was behind her as she made a gesture for him to follow her lead. He spotted Annie at their seats, she was taking another _video_ of him as he disappeared under the stage.

Tall security guards brought him to a room where one of the officials shook the hand of Eren and told him what a lucky man he was. They made him sign his name and give his personal contact number on a long contrat, the information regarding the check was written. Eren should expect to receive his money in the following weeks. 

As he walked the way back to the court, Eren heard the distinct shouting of the crowd. The game had started again, the players were now running around the basketball supported by the cheers of their fans. Eren tried to see if he could spot the captain on the court. None of them were short and sexy so he decided to look instead on the bench of the teams. The man was standing up, staring intensely at the game before him. Eren remained for a couple of minutes at the entry of the stage. Why was he so attracted to the man? Eren already knew why as the chills around his neck reminded him of their earlier interaction. 

His gaze was still lost in the contemplation of the captain. Someone clearing his throat next to him made Eren look away from the court. A man with a Detroit hat and a shirt written _staff_ was smiling at him.

“Sir, this is for you.”

The world seemed to want to give him free stuff tonight. Eren felt a familiar weight in his hands as he was left alone with a basketball. His smile was now pleased. Maybe basketball wasn’t _so_ bad actually.

As he turned slowly the ball in his hands, Eren noticed a black inscription on its surface. His eyes quickly went back to the court to see the captain looking directly at him. He couldn’t tell from the distance but he knew that the man was smiling. 

Eren could only gazed again at the handwriting message on the orange ball. 

_What about a match, Eren?_

_313 - XXX - XXXX_

_Your captain._

Fuck, Annie would laugh _so_ hard at his ass now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had such a good time writing this prompt that I am actually working on a sequel. I should change my username for Stop_Flirting_Lou or Lou_Will_Flirt_With_You
> 
> What did you think of the ending? I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you so much for reading it, it means the world to me <3
> 
> Thank you again to my lovely friend [Gabi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notbad/pseuds/notbad)


	2. A Sweet Deal

“And then, the nachos flew into the air..”

How many times has it been so far? Eren had lost count but every time Annie was telling the story, she always had to stop to catch her breath from laughing too hard. It had been a week since their night out, but man it felt like yesterday ‘cause of Annie.

When Eren had finally sat back next to her in the stadium, she didn’t make a scene nor even comment on the basketball in his hands. _No_ , she had waited until they were with witnesses that would have embarrassed him the most. She had called his _mother_ to tell her that they were directly coming from the game to her house. Eren didn’t have a word in that matter since Annie was the one driving. 

The match had ended with Detroit winning with a lead of 15 points against Philadelphia. Eren had tried his best not to look too often at the man but it was easier said than done. As embarrassing as it was, nothing else happened during the match. Annie had made here and there comments about the game.

Surely, something was wrong ‘cause everything went smoothly from there. Eren did not make a fool of himself, and no one commented on how close the captain and himself were earlier. It was either his lucky charm or the death stare of Annie every time someone came _too_ close to them. Maybe a bit of both he guessed. But when they finally parked into the alley of his mother’s house, his bubble of peace bursted. 

“Annie, Eren!”

His mother was waiting for them at the foot of the door. She was in her nightgown, a tender smile on her face as she saw them get out of the car. Like usual, Carla welcomed them both with a loving hug. Annie had always been part of the family. His mother had known Annie’s father since they were kids, and from there the house had always been filled with the two of them playing and screaming around. Eren was grateful for those moments, he couldn’t have pictured his life without her by his side. But as they were all sitting at the kitchen table of his mother, Eren wasn’t so sure anymore about his said best friend.

“So? How was the game?” They were all drinking hot chocolate that his mother had prepared earlier. Carla looked at them both but Eren didn’t have the time to open his mouth that already Annie was pulling out her cellphone. 

“Carla, you won’t believe it.” Even Annie who usually is able to contain herself had trouble not sounding like a little girl seeing snow for the first time. Maybe it wasn’t too late to die from diabetes? Eren gulped a large portion of his hot drink in the attempt to hide his blushing face. The basketball he had received at the game was in Annie’s car, hidden in the truck from prying eyes like his mother. 

Eren had closed his eyes as the sounds of the crowd and the loud music from the stadium filling the kitchen. Carla and Annie were watching side by side while the phone was playing the video that she had taken earlier this evening. The worst was not to hear the loud exclamations and gigglings of his mother and Annie, _no_ , the worst was when Carla asked Annie to replay it _again._

“Oh my!” Who was laughing the most? Even Eren didn’t know at this point. “De-dear, did you hurt yourself?”

He felt the kitchen table tremble under the repetitive hits of Annie’s fist as she couldn’t contain her excitement. Eren opened one eye to check on the two people that made his life a giant circus every time he was making a fool of himself. Carla and Annie were holding each other as they kept replaying the video over and over, crying tears on their cheeks from laughing. Eren felt himself smiling softly at the sign of these two women. Yeah, he really was lucky to have them. 

“Carla, I didn’t show you the best part yet!”

Maybe Eren would have two hide two bodies instead of one. Before Annie could show Carla the other video, Eren took the phone from her hands. He didn’t pay attention to the fake protests of Annie. She already knew Eren was also curious about what had happened between the captain and his long forgotten nachos.

“...Ackerman quickly running at the flying ball lost by Schultz....shooting in midair at the hoop, the time buzzing as the ball leaves the hands….” 

The voice of the reporter was yet again explaining a game that Eren did not understand completely but something else grabbed his attention. The video was focusing mostly on the tall player with the ball on the side of the court. Annie must have moved from her seat to the stairs to take this video ‘cause the angle was directly giving on the full court. The camera quickly followed a player in blue and green running on the court to chase the ball when Eren finally spotted himself at the extremity with his nachos. 

“Watch out, man!” 

Annie had turned her phone at the same time as someone on the front row had screamed at him. Eren saw himself stopped to eat while you could see a short stature in a suit ran to follow the game by the side of the court. The man was probably too absorbed by the game as he directly went in collision with the static position of Eren.

“Dummies.” His friend had completely forgotten the game to zoom in on them instead. Eren could see the cheese and nachos on some unlucky spectators as he was still on the floor with someone on top of him. 

“Annie” Eren was still looking at the screen as he spoke. He saw the man, his _captain_ , helping him stand up and hugging him from behind for a short moment before Annie stopped the recording. “Who is he?”

He heard his mother chuckled as she simply looked at them both. Anyone in the room could have told Eren’s tone meant more than just asking for a name. Maybe, he was really under the charm of a man that was probably not even interested but that didn’t stop his curiosity. 

“You probably the only person in the stadium that didn’t know his name, Eren.” Annie took back her phone. She quickly typed something before showing it first to his mother.

“That's _him_ ?” Fuck. Carla sounded too excited about this whole situation, even stars were in her eyes. Eren saw his mom scrolling down on the phone, most certainly checking for more pictures. Why was she sending winks at Eren while looking between the phone and him? Eren could only hide his face with both hands. The man was _clearly_ above his league, and this had been just a once-in-a-time flirt between a clueless _fan_ and whoever the captain’s. 

“So...His name is Levi Ackerman, 34 years old, born in Detroit city…”

He felt his cheeks flushed under his more than obvious embarrassment now. This was like a real life nightmare, his mom enumerating the bio of a potential candidate for her poor single son while Annie was dying on the kitchen floor from laughing.

“Oh, Sweety! I like this one. You should date him.” He felt the tip of his ears getting warmer. The thumpings of his heart were resonating in his head, the simple idea of meeting the man again was out of question. 

“Eren! It says here that he is single! You could try to...” No, that particular information did not interest him in the slightest, but he couldn’t stop his hands from grabbing yet again the phone to check. Bad move.

Eren saw gorgeous gray eyes staring back at him as _Levi_ was posing with the other players for some magazine. Again with his damn sexy suit while everyone else was wearing a jersey. As he was about to look on Wikipedia for more info, Eren saw the title of the article his mother was previously looking at.

_Coach Ackerman: A mystery for the fans._

“Give me death.” Eren was really a moron. Not only once but _twice_ did he embarrassed himself with the same man in front of a big crowd and there were videos to prove it, but he also in the process flirted with the fucking coach of the pro basketball team. No wonder Annie almost peed herself when she saw him on the court. Eren bit pensively at his lower lip as he gave another look at the charming picture of the captain. It would be hard to get over his little crush. 

“Enough now with your sorry ass.” Annie had spoken as she sat at the table, a pencil and a paper in front of her. She gestured at the phone in Eren’s hands while Carla gave him an affectionate pat on his shoulder before sitting next to Annie. “Carla, google the best pick-up lines for desperate men.”

Before Eren could had argument about this _stupid_ idea, Annie shut him out again. “And you, make yourself useful and refill our mugs.” Not even trying to protest anymore, Eren slowly went to boil the water and grab the chocolate. Maybe this was for the best, his mom shouldn’t be too bad at...

“Was your dad a boxer? Because damn, you’re a knockout!” 

_Crazy women._ Eren sighed heavily as he picked the empty mugs on the table. He briefly glanced at the paper of Annie as she wrote down every finding of his mother. “ Kiss me if I’m wrong but, dinosaurs still exist, right?” Carla was clearly having the time of her life as she kept on listing more _horrible_ pick-up lines.There was no way in Hell that Eren would ever call the man after this night. 

Three pages, an incredible amount of hot chocolates, and tons of embarrassing moments later, they finally said their good bye. Annie had brought him back to his apartment, not even looking tired as Eren had trouble not falling asleep in the car. The beautiful orange-red shades of the sun rising in the sky did not interest Eren one bit as his sleep-deprived figure had collapsed on his bed. An amused and _deep_ voice gently followed him until the gates of the dream.

“...with coach Ackerman. I swear, this idiot shot half-court and fucking won 10,000 bucks!” 

And here he was, forced _again_ to eat with Annie and his other coworkers. At the end, Eren had hidden the orange ball and the pick-up lines in his closet. Even if a week had passed, his heart still made a little jump every time he heard the name of the captain. He won’t mention that at night he would shoot a glance at the closet from his bed, _no_ , Eren was done with basketball. It was for the best, they probably had nothing in com…

“Eren.” The voice of Annie brought him back to the present conversation. “Your phone has been vibrating nonstop for the past two minutes.” 

Eren sighed, mentally praying that it wasn’t work related or worse, his mother. As he took his phone, he noticed that indeed there were two missing calls from an unknown caller. Not really seeing who could call him, he closed the screen. Not a second passed before he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. 

“Hello?” Eren got up from his chair as he answered, not wanting to disturb the others during their lunch break. 

“Hi, may I speak with Mr. Eren Yeager, please?” The voice was professional, and polite as they spoke. 

“Yes, it’s me.” _Probably a promotional call._

“Well, hello Mr. Yeager!” All of sudden, the person on the phone sounded overly excited for some reason. “This is Hange Zoë, from the Basketball league administration. How are you?”

“I-good, and you?” For a short instant, Eren thought it would have been someone else. 

“Fantastic, thank you for asking!” This person was definitely on something, Eren could almost feel them jumping on their feet as they continued. “I am calling regarding the prize you won a few days ago.”

Eren briefly looked over his shoulder. Annie was finishing her plate while the others were slowly heading back to the office. Lunch break was almost over. He gently waved at his friends to indicate to leave without him.

“...and come in person to receive your check. Is tomorrow at 10:30 a good time for you?” Eren furrowed his brows in confusion, not having paid much attention to the conversation. 

“I am sorry, but where do I have to go?” Tomorrow was Saturday, so he knew he was free during the day but he hoped it wasn’t too far by car. 

“Detroit Stadium, I will send you the information as well as the time.” Eren walked back to the table to grab his jacket and his backpack. He left the coffee shop with the phone still in his hand. 

“Oh, and! Wearing a suit is mandatory!” The person didn’t wait for Eren’s reply before enthusiastically wishing him a good day and hanging up. 

Eren was even more confused as he went back to his office. He was supposed to receive his money in a couple of _weeks,_ the old man had said, but who would complain to have it earlier? Certainly, they would want to take more pictures if they asked him to wear a suit. The mention of going back to the stadium had sent him shivers along his arms, still remembering the strong hands of the captain on him. 

At least, Eren had learned his lesson. He would definitely _not_ tell Annie, nor his mother about this Saturday. And anyway, it would probably be a question of 10 minutes in and then, he would never have to go back there again.

The rest of his day had been a weird game of hide and seek where every time Eren would spot Annie in the hallway, he would quickly run to his desk or hide behind something. No, he was not afraid of Annie. But the idea of his mother calling to set another ‘let’s turn Eren into a man-killer’ night was scary. He could only imagine his poor soul being dragged into the mall to buy one of those expensive suits to seduce the captain. Not even changing state would be enough to hide his mortification.

An important client had called Eren which had led him to work overtime. Annie had simply wished him a good night before leaving the office. It was dark when he finally parked in front of his apartment. A chinese take-out, and a quick shower later, Eren went into bed. He had set an alarm for the next morning to have enough time to prepare.

"Yeager, you fucking idiot." Eren kept mumbling more and more insults. The sound of his leather shoes on the floor was echoing as he ran past each closed door. 

Earlier on Saturday, Hange had called to see if he could be there at 9:30 instead of 10:30. It was a little past 7am, meaning that Eren was still half asleep when he had agreed to it.

And now, here he was with his bed hair, a black suit with the first buttons not properly made and his tie forgotten in his car. The guard had told him to go at the M section and from there, he only would have to follow the signs but man, the stadium was like a maze for him. It was already 9:35 and Eren could only curse his sleepy head for that. 

“Sasha! 5 more rounds!” 

The section sign was finally in sight when Eren faintly heard the yell of a woman. He took a minute to calm his breathing before walking down a narrow hallway. There were two big doors with distinct noises and voices coming from behind them. Eren carefully opened one to confirm that he was at the right place. He recognized the voice even before seeing the man.

“I told you to do a lay-up!” Fuck. Eren hadn’t dreamed that night, the captain’s voice was really _erotic._ Even when the man sounded mad he was sexy. 

Eren opened his eyes that he had unconsciously closed, realizing where he had ended up. He should have figured that pro basketball players didn’t take weekends off. It was weird to see the stadium empty from spectators, but the court was even more impressive from his point of view.

Hange was probably somewhere in the gym which was Eren’s only reason to push the door and discreetly watch the team’s training session. The captain’s back was facing Eren from where he was standing. No one had noticed his presence as they were all listening to the man’s reprimands. 

“...a dunk is too unpredictable with your shitty technique, Kirstein! Always go for a lay-up if yo-” Eren saw a player, probably Kirstein, grabbing the basketball on the floor and dribbling it until the hoop. 

“Come on coach, the defense will block it!” The arrogant tone of the player was enough to make Eren roll his eyes in annoyance. Not that he was understanding the conversation but he wouldn’t have argued with the pretty captain. 

He didn’t notice before but the shorter man was not wearing his fancy suit today. He was in casual clothes with a black t-shirt and sweatpants. Eren stared at the firm ass of the captain while slowly biting his lower lip. This was another thing to add to his list of fantasies, having sex with a man wearing sweatpants. Fuck, he could have an erection just from that sight.

Eren carefully went to sit on a chair not far from the team, other people were also there to observe but none of them spoke to him. He now had a view of the entire team from the sideline.

“Listen up everyone, 1-on-1 defense is a form of art.” The coach had gestured at Kirstein for the ball. Like a dance, the man dribbled skillfully to the middle line. “Either you let your opponent make the shots they want, or you fight harder so they have no other choice but to confront you.” 

“For example, Kristein always makes 3pters ‘cause that’s what he is good at but what if he cannot during a game?” Everyone was captivated by the man as he looked briefly at the rest of the team sitting on the side. His gaze momentarily met Eren’s before turning back at Kristein. 

“If you are cornered by another player, you either make a pass or you dodge your opponent.” Eren was not really understanding the man. Each word individually made sense to him but if you put them all together in a sentence, that’s when you lost him. He furrowed his brows as he stared back at the court. 

“Ackerman! Come and be the front guard.” A woman with short hair got up and started jogging towards the center of the court. 

“You sure you wanna face the both of us, coach?” Kristein’s tone was cocky as he stretched his arms above his head. 

“Well, I have someone to impress.” The coach had talked while looking at Eren.

Everyone turned their heads to follow the direction of the captain’s gaze. Eren felt himself blushing under the sudden attention. He saw the amused faces of some players that seemed to recognize him. Man, where was Hange again? The noise of someone clearing their throat brought everyone’s back to the court.

“A pass needs to be precise.” The captain had started to dribble the basketball in front of the woman, not moving yet from the center. The tension had increased as the only sound in the stadium was coming from the ball hitting the floor repeatedly. “But if you can outrun the defense, your best option at the rim is to lay-up.” 

Eren sat on the edge of his seat, feeling a bit nervous about this 2 against 1 drill. “Don’t worry.” Eren’s face turned at the somehow familiar voice whispering next to him. “It won’t take long.” A person with glasses and a ponytail was smiling widely as they kept their eyes on the court. 

Eren knew for who he was rooting. He briefly checked on the muscular physique of the coach. Time seemed to stop when their eyes met for a mere second. He didn’t have time to process before everything quickly accelerated again. 

The captain had started to drive forward while lowering his center. His opponent seemed familiar with his style as she approached with her arms in a wide arc. But maybe this was a mistake. As soon as they got closer to each other, the captain quickly changed his direction by dribbling behind his back. Eren felt butterflies in his stomach, the man was charming even when he was playing.

The captain did not break a sweat as he dribbled past the guard to the hoop. Kristein was posted in front of the rim, waiting for the man to come at him. The taller man had an advantage on the captain, he was already expecting a lay-up and most certainly on the right side. The man ran quickly from the right angle of the baseline, not even slowing his speed at the imminent collision with the other player. Kristein grinned happily as he followed the action. 

As if he had wings, the captain jumped at the same time as Kristein to shoot. But Eren didn’t understand what happened after that. The ball didn’t enter from the right side. The man had extended his arm to shoot under the rim and pass it on the left and successfully lay-up.

“Wow!” No one had time to react as Eren stood up on his feet while clapping his hands excitedly. 

At this point, he was more than impressed by the man. A dead silence was surrounding the court as everyone gazed at Eren. He quickly noticed that he was the only one expressing his enthusiasm at the demo. The action of his hands stopped at the same time as he recognized the person talking next to him. He really was an idiot sometimes.

“Levi!" Hange, the familiar voice he had heard earlier, was now happily patting Eren’s shoulder. They waved at the man to come over. He saw the captain giving back the basketball to Kristein before walking directly in their direction. 

“Petra?” A short woman with a clipboard and a whistle looked up at the man. “Make them practice drill four with at the end a reverse lay-up.” He didn’t add more as he continued his way to Eren and Hange. 

"You heard the coach! Everyone on the court!" 

Eren felt trapped with Hange on his side and the beautiful temptation now in front of him. The same tension from their last meeting was back but this time he was alone. Eren remembered all of sudden the way he was dressed with his crazy hair and the wrinkles on his suit. _Fuck._ As if he heard his thoughts, the captain gave him a little smile.

“Oh how rare, Levi is smiling!” Hange reminded him of Carla teasing him whenever she had the chance. The captain didn’t look away from the bright green eyes as he talked in this warm tone that made Eren melt.

“Hange, why are you still here?” No, this comment did not make Eren’s heartbeat go wild in his chest. Maybe they were disturbing the practice and the coach wanted them to quickly leave. 

“Well, I guess you are right.” Hange chuckled as they walked to their seat and took their jacket. “Mr. Yeager! Let’s talk somewhere else.” 

Eren was expecting to follow Hange but was still slightly disappointed to leave so soon. “Have a good day.” He nodded slightly in the direction of the captain while looking one last time at his gray eyes. 

Damn, the man was really handsome and even more when he was smiling. Eren turned and was about to walk away when he felt a gentle pressure on his wrist. He didn't have time to react that the captain brought him closer than before. Their faces were not far from each other. Eren was once again welcome by this warm feeling in his stomach. His cheeks were burning red which must explain why the man was now chuckling. 

“You forgot the first buttons of your shirt.” 

The hands of the captain went to his collar, not breaking the eye contact. Eren bit his lower lip, the action made the captain gazed at his reddish mouth. He couldn't resist any longer, Eren brushed a strand of raven hair from the captain's forehead. His fingers delicately followed the flawless skin until retracing behind the ear of the man.

The eyes of the older man were beautiful, breathtaking as Eren got lost into the other’s. He was simply mesmerized by this gray-blue shade. There was something inexplicable telling Eren to trust the man, to let go of his walls. The captain gently put one hand behind Eren’s head to pull him closer. His green eyes had started to close, already given up on trying to avoid the inevitable.

"Mr. Yeager? You don't want your check?" 

The voice of Hange was like a cold shower for Eren. His eyes opened rapidly, meeting the gray eyes of the captain that hadn’t moved away from him. “I-sorry, I should go.” Eren sounded way too upset about this interruption but this only made the captain hold him for a second longer.

“I hope to see you again, Eren.” As the man stepped away, Eren felt the need to seal the deal. He cupped the older man’s face with his hands and delicately gave him a kiss on his cheek. 

“Who knows, captain?” Eren whispered the last words to the man before rapidly walking to Hange. If Annie or his mother would have been there, Eren was sure they would have taken a damn video of this. He knew he was blushing when Hange started to laugh, asking if he wanted to stay longer. 

The rest went over pretty quickly. Hange had made him sign a consent saying that he had received the money, and then he was good to go. But Eren furrowed his brows as he looked at Hange. There was something weird. 

“Why wearing a suit if it was only for that?” His question was answered by a huge smile on Hange’s face. 

“Cause he wouldn’t shut up about how cute you looked in one.” They didn’t need to clarify who was ‘he’. 

Eren could only chuckle while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. At least, he made a good impression on the captain. But one thing was clear now, Hange must never meet Annie nor his mother. These people would be the death of Eren with their matchmaking plans. 

As Hange guided him to the exit, Eren saw the big doors leading to the court. They could still hear the yells of Petra and the players calling each other names to pass the basketball. Eren was tempted to go check on his captain but he didn’t want to disrupt the practice again. He said his goodbye to Hange, already knowing that they would go tease the captain as soon as Eren would leave.

If Annie had seen Eren, she would have told him to stop smiling like an idiot. But all the way back to his apartment, Eren had this fluttering feeling in his chest. Yeah, he was happy and the reason had raven hair and was pretty damn good at basketball. Who would have guessed that Eren likes sport now? Do _not_ answer that question. But there was one thing left to do. 

Eren ran up the 3 flights of stairs leading to his apartment. He had goosebumps all over his arms and legs as he barged into his room, his keys were dropped on the floor at the entry but he didn’t care enough to worry about it. Eren was slightly shaking as he pressed the last button.

“...Ackerman speaking.”

Ok, maybe this was more than just a little crush. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so happy to read all of your comments and how much you liked the plot that I wanted to write more. I truly enjoy this story, and I plan on MINIMUM writing another chapter (cough date cough).
> 
> To be honest, I hope you liked this second chapter since I didn't plan at first to write more than a oneshot. 🙈
> 
> You reading my fics means so much to me, and I smile just thinking that someone read them. I hope you are safe and you have a good day/night.
> 
> I will work on the third chapter and post it as soon as I am done with it!!
> 
> Love you all ❤😳


	3. A Question of Physics

“Eren, we gotta talk.” 

Usually, when someone says this phrase it either means that you will get dumped or that you should apologize before getting dumped. But in his case, Eren already knew it was neither of those options. He should have known that he wasn't very subtle with his overly happy state like the way he would jump every time his phone would vibrate. Yeah, Eren still needed to work on his poker face. But as he took another sip of his drink while trying to think of how to get out of this situation, Eren knew he should have seen it coming. 

“Annie told me you spend a lot of the time on your phone.” 

It wasn’t unusual for Annie and his mother to talk about him, but to have them both in his office at lunchtime put Eren’s senses on alert. It had been over a week since he had called his captain, or he should say _Levi_ now-the man had asked him to drop the formalities. At first, Eren thought the man would be like the others and ask him out over a drink in some bar and have his way with him, but how wrong was he. 

Levi turned out to be a true gentleman. Every morning, the man would send a text to Eren asking him if he had slept well and this alone was enough to make him smile softly. All of this was new for Eren. Normally he would be the one always caring about the other but now Levi was charming him with his kindness. He still found himself laughing while thinking about their first talk over the phone.

“...Ackerman speaking.” 

Well, fuck. Eren had only wanted to hear the man’s voice again, he didn’t think things through with this plan. 

“...I..Hi, mh this is-”

“Eren,” The warm tone of the captain sent him chills along his spine. It was really impossible not to like the man’s voice. Eren could tell the other was smiling and which also brought a little smile on his red face. “How did you get my number?” 

Eren bit his lower lip in his attempt to hold his laugh. Why was it so easy to talk with this man? “This is not the Chinese restaurant?”

“Oh? Is this your way of asking me out?”

Eren felt like a lovestruck teenager. He was still sitting on the floor of his room, with his jacket on and his head against the mattress. This was like a dream. But the teasing voice of the captain and their earlier encounter had simply confirmed his decision. 

“Is that a yes?” No, he was _not_ blushing. But Eren prayed to every god that the captain couldn’t sense his frenetic heartbeat when he had asked his question. He could hear the other’s breath through the phone before the decisive moment. _3...2...1..._

“Eren? You listening?” 

Eren quickly blinked as he remembered where he was. His mother and Annie were looking at him, one was furrowing her eyebrows in confusion while the other was shaking her head from side to side. This wasn’t the first time he found himself lost in his thoughts but he sure hoped no one knew the actual reason behind it. 

“...I met someone.” It was better to say it now than to endure another awkward interrogation. Eren already knew Annie had figured who he was referring to and by the huge smile on his mother’s face, he could tell she also had an idea. 

“My baby has a boyfriend!” If someone could die from embarrassment, Eren would be long gone by now. “Annie, can you believe it?”

Carla had always wished for his son to find someone worthy. Even though she hadn’t met the man, she was simply happy Eren had opened the door to new possibilities. 

“When are you seeing him?” He tried to avoid the inquisitive gaze of his best friend. Maybe there was still a chance for him to get away with it. Eren briefly shot a desperate glance at his mother, hoping she would change the conversation but that was a lost cause. Carla was genuinely pleased for him, also waiting for his answer. 

“Mom, the food is really good,” His fork went to his mouth as soon as he spoke. Breathe Eren, _breathe_. Annie was no mind-reader, neither was his mother. Everything was under control. He just had to play it cool and surely the lunchtime would be over before they find out that—

"Oh fuck, Eren. That soon?" 

Eren almost choked at the question. Tears were in his eyes as he gave himself quick thrusts over his chest to swallow his food. Shit, definitely a mind-reader. He saw Annie handing him a drink but that was only to make him talk faster. And here he thought that he could first go on one or two dates with the captain before telling his family about it.

Hopefully it would take a very _very_ long time until his mother invited them over for dinner. As if the stars were finally aligning for Eren, a small vibration could be felt on his desk. Instinctively, he grabbed his phone to check the new message he had just received.

From: Captain Levi

_Your pick, Eren._

_Option 1: I kill Hange. Option 2: I kill Hange._

_Which is better?_

Completely forgetting the other people in his office, Eren softly chuckled while staring at his screen. This was another thing that he liked about the man. Levi was so funny in his own way and very hard to read.That’s what Eren found irresistible. He bit his lower lips as little butterflies took place in his stomach. How can one text make him so happy? Saying that they had clicked was an understatement as Eren typed his reply. Yeah, maybe he was falling _a_ _little_ _bit_ for the charms of the man. 

To: Captain Levi

_Tough call, Captain._

_Need help to bury the body?_

Levi had previously told him that Hange was sometimes a real pain in the ass at work. But Eren knew that the man was more amused than anything at them since they had been friends for years. He could say the same about his mother and Annie that always barged into his life whenever something new happened. To be fair, it would have been pretty boring without them putting their noses everywhere. 

From: Captain Levi

_Yeager, is that another date proposition?_

“See, Carla? This is what I mean.” 

Either he was blushing from the weird silence in the office, or ‘cause of Levi’s reply or maybe both at this point. Man, how could the man all the time win their little game? But strangely this was what Eren had always wanted in a relationship. To be embarrassed, playful, excited to see what would come next. And here again the gorgeous face of the captain popped into his head. The laugh of his mother was enough to make him look up. 

“The suspense is killing me,” Annie sighed before starting to chuckle as she saw Carla taking a picture of Eren. He would be damn if his mother showed that to other people. But part of him wanted to share his excitement of seeing someone.

“...Sunday.” 

Eren would probably regret this later when he would think about it in his bed, but the pleased expression on his mother’s face was worth the trouble. Even if at the end this was no more than just a flirt, at least it would have been a funny memory. 

While Carla was on cloud nine, Annie simply frowned in confusion.

“Eren, you know that it’s Friday, right?” Fucking hell. Eren knew far too well what that tone meant. What did he forget? Was he _not_ supposed to see the man that soon? Even Carla seemed to not follow where Annie was going with that question.

“Do you know the rules of basketball? Or at least you checked some of their games?” Annie was clearly trying to stay calm but anyone could tell she was worried now. Still, Eren couldn’t see the relevance in searching about basketball when he was only interested in Levi. 

“Why is that important?” He felt better now that he knew it wasn’t that big of a deal. Annie was being crazy again for nothing. Their date would go totally fine even if he didn’t know a thing about—

“God, Eren. The man is a pro basketball coach! Of course, he would talk about it during your date.” 

“Oh…!” Carla was the one who seemed to understand first the stupidity of Eren. As if a cold shower washed over him, Eren closed his eyes.

Annie and Carla kept talking about God knows what, but he saw a red flag. Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck._ This was even worse now that he thought about it. What if Levi actually wanted to play a real match against him? Beside the captain, Eren couldn’t name a single player. Yeah, Houston _and_ Eren had a problem. 

“What should I do?” Only in desperate moments, like an end of the world type of situation, Eren would ask Annie and his mother for dating advice. But for some reason, he really wanted this Sunday to go well. 

“Sweety, do what you used to do before an exam,” Carla chuckled while taking away the empty containers. Even Annie was sending him a knowing smile since she knew exactly what his mother was referring to. Eren heard those last words like the answer to his torments. 

“...Just binge-watch the entire season the night before.” 

The combined laughs of his mother and Annie followed him the rest of the afternoon. They surely thought that Eren was joking when he agreed to do it. But that was underestimated how crazy Eren could get when he had an idea. He had learned very early that black tea had _lots_ of caffeine if brewed longer. Since college, he has been drinking two cups a day. So hopefully, the captain also liked tea. 

The familiar staircase leading to his home was like a blessing for his troubled mind. It could count on one hand the number of times he had come back before dark from work. How he managed to end all his paperwork for the day was beyond his comprehension. Either he had rushed things and drove fast or...No, let’s be honest, Eren had rushed home ‘cause he was too excited to learn more about basketball. 

Levi would probably be _very_ surprised on Sunday. The man had also insinuated that indeed they will do something different for their date. Eren could only smile in relief. For once, Annie had been helpful 'cause right after lunch, Eren had texted Levi. And now that he thought about it, the mysterious reply of the captain made sense with what his best friend had feared. 

To: Captain Levi

_Speaking of date…_

_what are we doing this Sunday?_

Eren didn’t get an answer from Levi until he finished with his second call with a client. They had agreed that Sunday was a good time to go on a date since during the week they were busy at different times. Levi had told him that after this week he would have more time. 

From: Captain Levi

_Just bring a pair of sneakers and dress in casual clothes._

This was the only confirmation he needed. Shit. Of fucking course the man would think Eren was a big fan and tried to please him. Little did he know that Eren had held for the first time a basketball on the same day he had met the captain on the court. 

But everything would be fine. You see, Eren had learned one and only one thing in college; anyone can master a subject in _one_ night if sleep was tossed on the side. The captain had told him that for where they are going it was better if they go by car. At the end, they agreed to meet in front of his apartment and leave together. 

After cooking ramen, preparing a big pot of tea and changing into comfy clothes, he went to grab his laptop. Eren was no fool. He knew that if he stayed in his bed he would fall asleep, and same for his couch. The best option was to sit at the table. His heartbeat was fast as he opened the search bar for ‘basketball’ on youtube. Sure, the idea of binge-watching was tempting but Eren knew where to find all the info he needed. 

_Basketball 101: How to Play for Losers_

“Hi everyone." The cheerful voice of a blond guy with huge blue eyes welcomed Eren as soon as the video started. A white board was also in view. "You would need paper, a blue pen, shapies, an orange and a container. And! If you watch part 2, then please grab toilet paper." 

Weird how sometimes a video that was supposed to be 37 minutes ends up lasting over two hours. At first, Eren had really tried to follow the explanations of this guy, Armin — that was probably not even his real name — but the number of times he had to stop the video to write stuff down or simply restart some parts were endless. 

He had figured that it would be like a crash-course on basketball but what he hadn’t planned was how interesting this would be. Armin was like a container of fun facts, surely better than any teacher he had before. For example, it is better to write with a blue pen ‘cause it has been shown to improve memorization compared to other ink colors. Eren had to run around his apartment to find a blue pen since Armin had specified that a red or black one wouldn’t do. 

His dinner table was filled with tons of drawings along with the pythagorean theorem. This is where Eren had stopped so often he knew all the math jokes of Armin’s. The fact that he had needed to google the word ‘velocity’ and ‘centripetal force’ showed how much this video had gone far in its explanations. Either basketball was only for very smart people, or this guy was way above the average fan. 

He could affirm with modesty that if he had a written exam on the parabola of a basketball, including the wind condition and the force of the gravity acting on it as well, surely Eren would know how to calculate it. The only tiny problem was that he wasn’t sure if Levi had also prepared for an exam on mechanics and basketball on their Sunday date. 

The real highlight of that night was when another video had automatically started after Armin’s. The song ‘SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake had suddenly played on his laptop and photos of the captain were defiling in an obvious fan made video. This had crushed down all Eren’s good intentions of learning about basketball after that. How long did he spend on his laptop watching music videos with Levi’s pictures? Enough time to have to charge his battery. 

This was addictive. Hilarious and weirdly adorable. Some were bloopers of the man being splashed by his players with gatorade and water. And other fan videos were showing very nice photos of Levi, either when he made shots or when he was sweaty and lifting his shirt. He could feel himself blushing. The captain was more than a pretty face and Eren knew that he didn’t need to check on more videos of the man. But one last song never killed anyone, right?

At least his date was on Sunday. Eren went to bed at the same time as Levi had called to wish him a good morning. He was already half asleep when he had answered his phone. The noises in the background indicated that they were about to start their basketball practice. 

He sure hoped this was part of a dream when he heard himself say "Good night, sexy captain" in a sleepy voice. Or worse, when only silence was heard until a pleased chuckle filled his ears. He closed his eyes on his pillow, feeling very tired. "Good night, pretty boy." Yeah, definitely a dream. 

Eren had woken up in the afternoon. His phone indicated four missed calls from his mother and two unread texts from Annie. The night had been long and he knew more about mechanics than basketball but Eren couldn’t stop smiling regardless. The fact that he wasn’t the only one thinking that the captain was devilish hot and some people had even created videos about it was reassuring. Hell, and here he thought he was being weird for blushing about the simple mention of the man. 

Maybe he should go buy a lotto ‘cause the very first song that played on his speaker was ‘SexyBack’. Pretty sure Eren laughed the entire afternoon after that. It had been a productive day for him. Like every Saturday, Eren had cleaned his apartment, danced around while folding the laundry and answered some emails. 

It was the growling of his stomach that made him stop to eat something. The rest of his night had been him watching some tv show on his laptop while eating grapes and cheese. He received before going to bed a text from Levi confirming the time for tomorrow and adding a little ‘See you soon, sleepy head’. Fuck. Eren really had a rough time falling asleep after. And, _no,_ not ‘cause he was excited about their date. He blamed the caffeine for that.

Eren should probably have asked before preparing two thermos of black tea. It was rather unusual for him to meet a charming man. Even more strange to wear black sweatpants and a navy shirt to go on a date with the-say charming man. He almost had a heart attack when Levi called to say that he was waiting downstairs. 

The moment of truth had come. Eren briefly checked one last time in the mirror his crazy curly hair before grabbing his thermos and locking his door. At every step, he knew his heartbeat was going through the roof with nervosity and anticipation. What if the captain meant to wear jeans and a fancy turtleneck? Oh lord, did he bring his wallet? Wait, what if this was a mistake—

“...Hello, Eren.” 

Fuck. This really wasn’t fair to have such an attractive voice. He hadn’t noticed that he was already at the bottom of the stairs and outside. Eren felt silly with his warm drinks in his hands but that wasn’t important at the moment. His green eyes locked with vibrant gray ones.

The pictures really did not do any justice to the captain’s beauty. Raven hair, a sensual little smile, strong shoulders and those sinful sweatpants fitting on his muscular legs were truly worth winning a prize. Fuck. Hopefully, Levi was no mind-reader like Annie. He would probably have numerous indecent thoughts about those muscles. He blushed as he smiled back, his eyes momentarily looking at what was behind the man. 

“Hi, Lev—Oh, shit!” Eren hadn’t been able to stop his loud exclamation. “Is that a Shelby GT500?!” Maybe he didn’t know anything about basketball but he sure knew a thing or two about cars.

“You like cars?” The man had said this with a surprised expression. Clearly he did not expect Eren to notice it or even know the model of the car. 

"A ‘67. Four-speed manual?” Eren was not even looking at the man anymore. His eyes were fixed on the gorgeous black Shelby with the characterial twin white stripes. This was like heaven but he wasn’t dreaming nor dead, and he didn’t want to pinch himself just in case. He was most certainly smiling like an idiot. 

“Is this for me?” He hadn’t noticed the man had gotten _very_ close to him. The proximity of their bodies brought Eren’s attention back to Levi. The gray eyes were focusing on what he was holding. The ridiculous thermos he had made earlier were still warm in his hands. Eren could smell the attractive scent of musky and masculine cologne. Fuck. Everything was calling him to get closer to the captain. 

“Do you like black tea, by any chance?” Their hands brushed for a moment as Levi grabbed the thermos Eren was handing him. He knew he was surely more than blushing at this point. What if the man didn’t want drinks in his car? “I—Sorry, I should have figured that this could dirty your car and—”

“It’s my favorite, thanks.” Eren saw the man taking a long sip of his tea before humming in appreciation. 

“Not bad.” The last comment had been said in a low tone, probably more for himself than for Eren to hear. But this alone made Eren strangely happy to have pleased the man. 

Levi walked back to the black Shelby. His sweatpants were sensually retracing his ass while his right arm contracted to open the door of the car. “Shall we go?” Eren was caught off guard when he noticed the amused smile on Levi’s lips. The man had opened the driver side, not the passenger’s. 

Eren could only hide his mouth with his free hand to cover his nervous laughter. Either the captain was not realizing how insane this idea was, or he was not worried about the possibility of his 400k car being wrecked by Eren. 

Levi was still patiently waiting for him. There was no one outside at that time. No one witnessed Eren acting like a little boy as he finally approached the car. Levi seemed very comfortable with handing his car keys to Eren before going around and sitting in the passenger seat. 

“...You sure about this?” Eren sat in the car with some hesitation. The inside was covered in black leather and smelled brand new. Everything was spotless. The steering wheel seemed to never have been touched before. Levi’s gaze briefly looked over Eren’s face before taking another sip of his thermos. 

“Does it make you happy?” Eren quickly nodded, there was no reason to lie about this. It was a beautiful car and a very _very_ handsome man sitting next to him. But he didn’t want to impose himself.

The expression of the captain softened as he gave him a smile. Eren felt his heartbeat rapidly increased at the sight of it. Fuck. This was another thing he liked about the man, his smile.

“Then, I’m sure.” Levi buckled his belt and turned back to check Eren doing the same thing. What was the most nerve-wracking, the Shelby or the captain? Either way, he couldn’t hold his joyful laugh when the engine started. A shower of goosebumps had traveled over his bare arms. The tapping sound of the motor was _loud_ and powerful. 

Eren felt a delicate caress on his tempe, which made him look on his side. Levi’s fingers had gently come over his face, moving a strand of hair away from his eyes. “Wanna go outside the city?” 

His heart skipped a beat at this instant. The captain’s tone was endearing, his gray eyes were sparkling with amusement and carefreeness as they simply observed the other. Eren cleared his throat while the burning feeling on his cheeks was reaching the tip of his ears. Yeah, Levi was definitely his type. 

“Do you want mine?”

As the car engine sang to the familiar streets of Detroit city, Eren saw the man finishing his drink before putting it in the middle compartment. He had asked this question without thinking first about it. Soft chuckles only answered him. Eren bit his lower lip while mentally insulting himself for that weird suggestion. 

Before he could change the subject and hopefully stop making a fool of himself, Levi brought Eren’s thermos to his mouth and took a sip of it. Realization hit him. _Indirect kiss._ He could hear Annie and his mother laughing at his blushing face from miles away. 

"What about we drive and I show you something in the way?" 

By driving, Eren didn’t expect _that._ He had tried at first to be as careful as possible, never exceeding the speed limit and looking everywhere for a potential menace. The laughs of Levi everytime he was rapidly breaking were sending him butterflies all over. It was so natural between them, almost like home. But the real fun was when Levi told him to turn left at the next exit. 

There, in front of them was an old orange brick bridge with tons of graffiti. They were in the middle of an abandoned road. Eren furrowed his brows as he put the clutch on neutral, did they take the wrong—

“Wanna race?” The teasing voice of Levi makes him chuckle softly at the question. The engine was still purring, and the sun was high in a cloudless sky. He let go of the wheel before turning on his side. The man was directly staring at him, waiting for his reply. But Eren knew what to do. 

“What are the stakes?” 

As if the time had stopped, Levi’s hand gently went over Eren’s left cheek before grabbing his chin. Green eyes met silver ones as he felt a soft touch going over his lips. Levi’s thumb was delicately retracing the curve of his mouth. A quiet song was playing in the background but neither of the men were paying attention to it.

“Are you free on Thursday night?” The inside of the car was slightly warmer than before as Eren got closer to Levi’s face. The thumping of his heart was deafening in his ears. He had never felt this intrigued by another man. 

“Mr. Ackerman, are you asking me on a second date?” It was his time to tease the captain, not even trying to hide his pleased smile at the idea. Levi raised one brow at the tone, fainting to act surprised but his amused expression was evident. 

“What if I am, _pretty boy?"_ The low, amused tone of Levi only brought back the memory of him calling the man ‘sexy captain’. Eren wished he could stop from blushing but he deserved it. Before he could think of an explanation for this embarrassing moment, Levi saved him the trouble.

“What do you want if you win?” 

Eren’s gaze briefly went over the man’s tempting lips.

"A kiss." 

This had been on his mind since the very first time he had met Levi. They looked soft and he knew he could be easily addicted to their taste. He didn’t need to hide his attraction for the other. Hell, even his family had noticed it. The man simply smiled at him. Eren cleared his throat while looking away. Fuck, he really had said it.

“Not sure I wanna win now.” 

Levi had taken a deep breath before opening his phone. The chronometer app was at zero. Eren had his right hand on the gear, while his left one was holding the wheel excitedly. He tried not to think too much about the beautiful man observing him before putting the clutch on drive. Adrenaline and excitation were heavy in the air, but Eren knew what the result would be.

The rest of the date had been a mix of flirting comments and Eren eyeing way too often at Levi’s gorgeous face. They had driven around and stopped to eat at some unknown restaurant. The cook had recognized Levi but politely asked for a picture and an autograph before giving them their take-out. 

By the end of the day, Eren happily discovered that they had lots of things in common. But the best part was that the man was _really_ funny. Everything had been lovely, probably the best date he ever had. He didn’t realize until it was getting dark outside that they have spent hours simply chatting in the car. It had never expected to have such a great night. 

Levi had taken a detour on his way back, and Eren simply smiled at the realization. It seemed like they both didn’t want this date to end. And here he was, lost again in the beautiful silver eyes of his captain. They had parked in front of his building and now was the time to go. He didn’t have time to move, the man had already got out of the car. Levi walked around and opened the passenger door of Eren. A charming smile on his lips, he offered his hand. 

They slowly reached the front door, walking side by side, their hands brushing one and other. 

“See you on Thursday?” His hand was already on his doorknob. Eren wasn’t disappointed to have lost their bet. It had taken him 16 seconds to get under the bridge. He had never drove that fast before and the feeling of it had been exhilarating. But the man knew better his car than him. 

Levi had done it under 9 seconds. This had been the first time he saw the captain driving and fuck, he was sexy behind a wheel. The car’s engine had purred all the way to the finish line. The firm muscles of Levi while changing the gear and the way his eyes had illuminated had cast a spell on him. Eren was sure now, he wanted to see and learn more about the captain. 

“One last thing.” Eren felt a gentle pressure at the back of his head. He didn’t have to process what was happening that he got pulled into a kiss. Levi had placed one arm around his waist while the other had softly grabbed a handful of chocolate hair. 

His hands went naturally around Levi’s shoulder to bring them closer. The tension he had felt all day simply disappeared at that instant. The lips of the man were warm, full and commanding Eren’s attention. They had the taste of heaven. His breathing was slightly panting as he finally relaxed his body.

The warm embrace over his body slowly got loose. The time had started again as they parted away. Eren saw Levi smiling at him before taking a step towards his car. His heart was still trying to understand what had happened.

“Good night, Eren.” 

Levi got into his car and slowly drove away. Eren stood there, his fingers gently going over his own lips. The phantom of their kiss haunting him, but that wasn’t his only thought. His head silently met the wooden door of his house, there was no reason to deny it. He finally understood the meaning of this.

How could he not fall in love now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to be lovely friend [Gabi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notbad/pseuds/notbad) for editing this chapter and supporting me.
> 
> As some may or may not notice, this fic is no longer a three-chapters. I don't know yet how long it would be. I really enjoy writing it and I hope you liked this chapter in particular.
> 
> It seems like I can post a new chapter every two weeks or so (if I wanna write a 5k chapter). If it is too long of a wait, then I could try to cut them into shorter chapters....to be confirm <3
> 
> How did you find this chapter? 
> 
> Thank you so much for every comment and kudos, it truly means a lot to me <3 
> 
> Have a lovely day/night and see you soon!


	4. The Only Exception

“...Who told you to stop running, Kirstein?”

Levi was rarely screaming. Usually, it was more in an irritated tone with a face saying it all. If something needed to be said, he wasn’t afraid to be blunt. And he did not give a damn about diplomacy and sponsors which should have been a problem. But weirdly he had more fans than the whole team combined. 

“Stop daydreaming and shoot for fuck’s sake!” 

Anyone would have been surprised if the coach ever met someone. The man was attractive, only a fool or a hater would disagree but he also had his temper. And let’s be honest, only Hange was able to handle his _bad_ temper with a laugh.

It was notorious that for a player wanting to impress the captain, they either should challenge him _and_ win, or not be completely terrorized when being stared at. But if they had decent cleaning skills, then maybe there was a chance of surviving the first week of training.

No one on the team had ever seen him smile but that was before that game against Philadelphia. Some still had cold shudders thinking about it. Yeah, even Levi had been taken aback.

“…It’s been a while, coach Ackerman. How’s the team?”

Levi had never really liked that guy. A cocky man with a smile was always a sign of trouble. On top of being loud and annoying as hell, Zeke was Philadelphia's coach. The Titans were the only team in the league to be a real threat for them. Braun and Hoover had previously been playing for Detroit. They had then switched at the end of their contracts last year and _that_ felt like a punch in the guts for Levi.

Their handshake was more for formality than real sportsmanship. Levi simply stared at the other without acknowledging the question. Both knew that Zeke didn’t care about his reply. Basketball was more than a game; it was a lifestyle. Even Levi knew when not to enter someone else’s dirty trick.

“Gentlemen?” The referee was surely used to seeing the coaches death glares at the other. He simply stood next to them like nothing was happening. “Match starts in 2 minutes.” His voice remained clear when he asked them to prepare their starting line-ups.

Levi did not look away, the supporters around them were vividly screaming their favorite team’s name. Most of them were Detroit’s partisans. They had the advantage of being in their city, with their fans wearing the colors of freedom. There was no way in hell Levi would accept anything but a win.

“Hope your fans won’t be too disappointed.” That made Levi grin. Everyone knew that Detroit fans were famous for vandalizing and celebrating after a game. Especially when it was against Philadelphia. But since he had been nominated the new coach of the team, they had _never_ lost in their territory.

“Good luck with Denver next week.” Levi turned around and walked back to his team. He didn’t need to say more than this. Denver was the 7th team from the West side, and they were to play against tonight’s losers to qualify for the playoffs. Yeah, Titans didn’t stand a chance against them.

“Don’t be too sure, Levi.”

As a matter of fact, the first period had ended up with a small lead for the Titans. But it was nothing that Detroit couldn’t make up for. The 130 seconds break was already coming to an end, indicating the beginning of the second quarter.

Levi knew his players were hungry for a victory in front of their hometown. All of them were looking at him, impatiently waiting for his speech. He smirked at their determination.

“You know what to do.” He could see himself at that age. No fear, no regrets, only this thirst to be the last one standing. “I trust all of you.” 

There was no hesitation in his voice as he looked at each of them. Being mad wouldn’t be helpful to make them better. He was not the type to yell when things were getting hard. The only thing Levi wouldn’t allow was quitting but none of them were cowards.

“…O-oh, Levi. If only you could be this nice all the time.”

Hange had taken the seat on his right as the second quarter began. Levi signed; this was nothing new for him to have them on the court. They were at every game and not for the actual match or to look at the statistics. No, we were talking about the infamous giant pain in the ass that was Hange.

Every ‘inspirational speech of Levi’ as they liked to call it were written down in a notebook for his _fans_. Pretty sure the leader of his supposedly fandom was sitting next to him. Levi simply didn’t give a damn about it at this point.

From the way the Titans were playing, there was no doubt Zeke had made them practice their offensive more than their defensive game. Certainly, the other team had taller players who liked to play rough, especially with Detroit. But they were missing something that Detroit’s players had and it was stamina.

Levi was no angel during training times, his players were either running or practicing drills. He had learned a long time ago that pain was the most effective way to discipline the body. Even he needed to run with them on the court. 

As he looked briefly over the players sitting not far from his, he furrowed his brows.

“Petra, where is Braus?” The only person Levi really needed to keep an eye on during a game was Sasha. It was usually fine if the girl was on the starting line but as soon as she was on the bench, she turned berserk.

“Don’t be mad coach, but she is—”

“Captain! MARRY ME!” The annoying chuckles of Hange increased in volume when they met the death stare of Levi.

It really was a fucking mystery for him. People would all avoid him like the pest outside, but basketball fans seem to appreciate his I-don’t-give-a-shit attitude. Even worse, he had become used to receiving a marriage proposal at _every_ single game they had played. 

“You should say hi to them, Levi.” Why did he allow them to tag along at the game? “Or maybe try to date a cute fan.” Hell, there was no hope for their crazy mind and Levi knew it.

He shot a glanced at the court, the Titans were trying to increase the space for their offensive play.

It was well-known that space was a priority in basketball. The Defense would have a harder time marking each player and block passes on a long distance. Moreover, the longer you were spending on defensive, the easier it was for the opposite team to make a point. And this was not a good spot for them.

“…She went to get nachos.” Why was he not surprised? Levi clenched his jaw in annoyance while taking into consideration the remaining time on the clock.

After Hange, Braus was in second position for being a pain in the ass person during a match. Last time, they had to ask the staff of the stadium to hide all the potatoes during a game ‘cause Sasha wouldn’t focus on the damn ball.

It hadn’t been hard to find his player, but he knew he should have asked someone else to bring back the troublemaker. Sasha was chatting with Dot Pixis, the owner of the Detroit team. These two were probably talking about food and beer without even thinking about the game.

Levi slowed down his approach to the stairs. At least, no one was really paying attention to them but that wasn’t the real problem.

Everyone had their eyes on the court. Detroit had been pushed back into their zone, the small lead they had could be taken back at any moment now. Levi felt this rush of adrenaline storming in his core, he could tell that his players were fighting to stop the momentum of the game. It was during those moments he would wish the time could stop for a brief instant.

“....Zacharias taking back the ball from Grice! Shots glances towards the other side of the court, the 24 seconds scroll quickly on the clock...”

From where he was, Levi could now hear the distinct voice of the reporter. Hell, at least they had taken back possession of the ball.

The cacophony of the Stadium had drastically increased as Detroit’s players started their offensive attack. Levi was proud of his team as he looked at the court. He had recognized that drill. They were doing the Box Elbow Split High play. This was a quick hitter to use against man to man defense, and Levi had been the one teaching them years ago. Even the Titans wouldn’t be ready to face this attack.

“…We should order chicken wings too!”

Dot Pixis was probably more a kid than Braus. The man was beyond rich but if you met him, you wouldn’t believe it. Both Sasha and he were always contesting to see who could eat or drink the most. Thank fucking God, Levi wasn’t the one picking them up at a buffet or after a night-out. He would certainly have killed them both.

“Braus.”

The crowd had stood up as Detroit entered the zone of Philadelphia, the seconds defiling quickly. No foul had been called yet and the ball was expertly going from one player to the other. Bozado was already at the high of the box, waiting to make his split screen. The red cheeks of Pixis indicated a long night of drinking and pleasure hardly content while Sasha abruptly stopped talking after hearing her name.

“Long pass to the center. Schultz holding the ball and..”

There was no need to say more. It wasn’t the first time and certainly not the last one Levi would have to boss around his players. Pixis simply laughed as he waved at him. How come this man was his boss again?

Sasha had a defeated face as she quickly nodded to his coach. Playtime was over and she needed to go back to the rest of her teammates. But she was still alternating her gaze between the nachos lady coming down the stairs and Levi.

“Go Sasha, I will ask the staff to bring you food.” As if the man just told her the secret to immortality, Sasha’s head snapped back to Pixis.

Another minute past where Braus simply gave a vigorous handshake while saying again and again how thankful she was to the man. Levi saw the two weirdos praising the other with tears in their eyes. Fucking hell, enough was enough.

“Man-on-man defense from the Titans. Ness, looking for an openi-passing to Schultz...”

Levi didn’t follow Sasha as she went back to their seats. Like the rest of the crowd, he was looking at his players diving into a tough defensive play. The Titans were not giving much space to make a pass and Ackerman seemed in trouble with Hoover spotting her.

The Box Elbow Split was not often used since the outcome resulted in two options; either a jump shot from the 3pters line or drive hard to the basket and lay-up. His best shooter was not on the court and it seemed that the Titans took advantage of this weakness.

“…and another beer, please.” The fans around him were screaming, almost _begging_ for Detroit to make a move. Pixis was already attacking his drink when Levi looked behind his shoulder.

The entire crowd seemed engrossed in the game. Blue and green were the dominant colors while only a few were in orange. His gaze went over the stadium. The clock indicated less than two minutes when he noticed something, or rather _someone_ at the stairs.

Levi slowly tilted his head to the side in interest. If this was a basketball fan, he was certainly the prettiest one the captain had ever seen. 

The unknown man was wearing a black suit, a lovely contrast with the rest of the people. His lean body was delicately moving around to dodge everyone near him. There was something inexplicably attractive about it. As if he wasn't supposed to be there. Levi could see a delicious sun-kissed skin and chocolate hair sensually retracing a charming face. His gray eyes tried to make up the features of the man.

People at the front line were hiding his small stature from being noticed by the man. But there was still a problem. Levi was not stupid; fuck what if it was Hange's doing? They always tried to match him with a new person at every occasion. Maybe they had looked into a model agency this time?

His eyes were not leaving the charming apparition as the other got closer to the bottom of the stairs. Fuck. There was no need to be mad at Hange even if it was part of their shitty plan. Levi was not one to lie to himself, this mysterious man was definitely too pretty for his sake.

"Ness! Pass it over!"

But there was no time left to stare at the gorgeous and most probably _not_ single man for now. He still had a job to do. The movement of the Titans seemed more careless as the time flew. Levi rapidly followed on the side of the court the teams' progress to the basket.

The screams of the fans were getting louder as Detroit dived into Philadelphia's last string. A lay-up was not possible and Levi knew it. The period was near his end, there was only one thing left to do. He wondered if the crowd also had chills when they saw Schultz losing control of the ball. _Run_. 

"...quickly running at the flying ball lost by…"

Levi started running at the same time as Ackerman. How often did they practice a 3pters shots? His eyes couldn't look away from the court as he moved past the front line of spectators. This point would make the difference, they needed to set a tone, a momentum for the rest of the match. They were not here to simply play, they were here to leave no doubt about who were the next champions.

He faintly heard some fans screaming. The last second on the big screen resonated in the stadium as the basketball left Ackerman's hands. 

"...Captain!"

Levi didn't know what happened but he met something _hard._ The people around him were yelling, taking pictures and calling around. He felt a painful sensation over his chest before noticing someone on the floor. What a mess he had created. Nachos and liquor were spread all over as he raised himself back on his feet. Fuck. Hopefully the person on the ground wasn't hurt.

Without thinking further, he gently grabbed the waist of the man on the floor to lift him. A black tissue and delicate curls tingled his nose. _Oh_. Levi understood without seeing their face who he had pushed. 

The warm body of the young man against his chest strangely felt natural for Levi. His hands were cautiously holding into place the fallen man. Their difference in height didn't bother the captain. The attractive nape of the other was at his eyes level and that alone made his heartbeats go faster. The captain didn’t care about the stadium and the fans looking at him as he reaffirmed his embrace.

"Are you alright?" He sincerely hoped his voice didn’t sound too worried. Even though he had made a very first bad impression, Levi wanted to properly apologize. But little did he know they would have another chance to meet again. This night had really been the beginning of something he could never have foreseen. 

They had their first date on that last Sunday and he couldn’t wait for today’s practice to be finally ov—

“...Mr. Yeager!” This shouldn’t have been a distraction but it did make him turn his head. Levi spots Hange waving their hand at someone. A familiar chocolate head in a stunning blue suit was making his way to the side of the court. Yeah, Thursday was definitely his favorite day of the week.

Eren was as beautiful as he remembered. Levi had completely forgotten about the training as he observed them talking. How could such an adorable and smart man be single was a mystery for him. He hadn’t noticed before but it made all sense now that the young man was in his line of view.

The entire week, he had a hard time focusing at work. It was not that he was stressed or sick. Fucking hell. He simply couldn’t forget about those sweet lips and bright eyes calling him for weeks now. Their kiss from last time was only the tip of the iceberg. Levi desired _more_.

“Coach?” 

Ignoring the calls of his assistant-coach, Levi’s expression softened as he saw Eren chatting and smiling widely at some stuff that Hange was saying. Even from this distance, he could tell the other was blushing. His teeth gently bit his lower lip. There was no other way to say it. Eren was really sublime.

“Ooh! Coach’s boyfriend is there!” 

Either this what his imagination or he just saw Jean fucking Kirstein stopping in front of Eren with an annoying grin on his face. Oh hell no. 

"...Another five rounds for everyone." Levi didn’t care if his players were complaining about this unfair treatment. Jean left in a hurry at the sound of his voice. The simple fact that any of them was looking at Eren more than ten seconds was enough to justify it. As he finally got closer to them, he could distinctly hear the discussion between Hange and Eren.

“...So? How was your date? What did you do?” Hange didn’t lose time before going straight for the neck with their question. They had annoyed Levi the entire week, asking if he had plans to see each other again. Really, Eren was a saint to listen to this nonsense with a sweet smile.

“It was fun! Levi had let me drive his car and—” 

“Wait, what?” Hange had almost shouted at Eren, their expression changing from amusement to astonishment in a second. “You had to clean your hands and shoes before right?” 

“Huh? No, why?” Both of them seemed flustered by the other’s question. 

Levi could only hold back his laugh at Eren’s cute behavior. He had already figured the young man was not a fan of basketball when they had met. And certainly he didn’t know a thing about his cleaning tendencies. It was rather refreshing for Levi to meet someone that didn’t know him nor his career. 

“...drank the tea I made for him..” Oh _oh_. This should be fun to watch. Levi could see the storm coming.

Not a second passed before Hange started coughing hysterically, which made him smirk at the situation. Anyone would have reacted that way knowing how crazy he was about cleanness. He was the first surprised at how different he acted around Eren. 

“You sure we are talking about the same person?” 

Before he could cut Hange’s interrogation, Eren turned and smiled when their eyes met. It really was unfair how he could turn Levi into a mess of incoherent thoughts. The captain was clearly not the one in control of the situation. And this was not something he was used to but now that he had met the young man, Levi couldn’t seem to remember how it was before their first meeting. Was he even that happy to see someone else’s face? The only time he was feeling any sense of joy was when he was on a basketball court. And this was saying a lot about Eren’s power over the captain.

Levi had always loved basketball. He had started when he was nine years old and since the moment he did his first basket, he simply knew. There was no turning back after that. The sensation in his hands, the bruises over his legs and arms and the electrifying moment before the ball goes in were all why he had fallen for the game. It was so simple yet so difficult at the same time. Basketball was both a team and an individual sport. One player can make a shoot but you need five of them to win a game.

Like many others, he had gone to outdoor courts. Detroit was another city at night. The world after dark seemed to revolve around an orange ball. It wasn’t hard to find a court with people already playing and a small crowd watching on the side. But you needed to prove yourself to play with the big guys.

Most fans would assume that Levi had been a prodigy the moment he started playing but that was a fantasy. How many times did he have his teenager ass beat on the court? Far too many to be counted but that was also the best memories he had when thinking about basketball. 

Running, jumping, and learning all the basics to the most advanced skills. Every second of it had been a blessing, something that he was looking forward to doing. He had challenged anyone in front of him on a court, be damn if they were forty centimeters taller than him. The sweat and the dirt on his body being washed away with a cold shower was alone a motivating feeling to start again the following day.

Overtime, he had received a nickname from the crowd seeing him play every night. _Captain_. Some fans think it was because of Levi’s amazing leadership on the court while others made a connection with Napoleon Bonaparte, who had been a captain _and_ had a short stature like him. Needless to say that the first option was a safer supposition. 

“Levi?” 

Close, too _close_. He really wanted to kiss him now. The younger man had gotten next to him as he said his name. Levi did not even think about it before gently planting a kiss on his cheek. It was sort of a payback for last time. Eren had been rather bold on their second meeting but he had found it quite adorable. Hopefully, this night would also end on a good note. And the blushing face of his date was worth the trouble of the team seeing him being all tender for change. 

"You look very nice." Levi had softly whispered into the other's ear. Why was he flirting all the time with Eren? Hell even he didn't know but he simply wanted to give him all his attention. It was really strange how he couldn’t resist showering Eren of compliments. 

“Hello to you too, captain.”

If his players knew how devastating Levi felt everytime Eren was calling him ‘captain’, they would surely have offered him a job in the team just to tease him. This and his beautiful green eyes looking directly at him. He cleared his throat to give himself contenance.

“Are you done with work?” Eren had asked his question with a huge smile, properly knowing his effect on the captain. 

Levi checked back on his players' gathering in the center circle. They were almost done stretching and some were already heading to their locker room. He also needed to change and take a shower. But the idea of letting Eren wait alone was not a pleasant thought. 

“Go Levi. I’ll stay with him.” Hange had pushed him on the side while bringing Eren to the center of the court. He knew they would certainly talk more about their first date and what they had planned for the night. Or worse, Hange would try to meddle and ask if they could all go eat together. 

This was certainly the fastest shower he had ever taken. 

His raven hair was still wet and his suit half put on when he entered the stadium. The familiar sound of a basketball hitting the floor made him slow down his approach. The rest of his team had left already, so technically no one should be playing. But there, in front of him, was a good looking man shooting at the ring. Hange was nowhere in sight as he got closer to the free throw line.

The captain noticed a blue jacket on a chair with a black bag on the sideline. Eren had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, his forearm muscles sensually contracting while making another shot. A weird feeling of nostalgia enveloped him as he continued looking at the other. When was the last time he had played for fun? Maybe one day he could show him how to—

“Wanna do one on one?” 

Gray eyes met green ones, the shadow of a challenge had invaded the court. Levi did not even try to hide his amused smile. Has he ever met someone like Eren? And here he thought they would simply have dinner and chat all night.

Slowly, he removed his own jacket, not breaking eye contact with the other. The ball between them was patiently waiting to be picked up. 

"Ready when you are, _pretty boy._ "

It was time to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people 😳
> 
> I have not idea why this chapter was so hard for me to write. I really hope you liked it - I wanted to have a Levi's POV and you can tell that their first meeting was not exactly what we thought.....(Levi had to be the first one hehe)
> 
> How did you find this chapter? 🤔
> 
> (thank you for simply taking the time to read my work - it means everything to me) 
> 
> I love reading all of your comments and your thoughts - I feel so blessed and I enjoy answering each and every one of you
> 
> I love y'all!!
> 
> P.S: especially my dear and wonderful friend [Gabi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notbad/pseuds/notbad)
> 
> Be safe and!! Next post during winter break❤☺️


	5. Know the Rules

“...If you’ve checked out my previous video, then hi again!” 

The television in his living room was playing the video of a well-known blond guy. Eren had pushed his couch and the coffee table to have more space, there was no chance of escaping it now. Hopefully the walls of his apartment were soundproof or thick because tonight was _the_ night. He had a mission. A _stupid_ mission if you prefer to call it that way. 

“Otherwise, my name is Armin and today we will be looking at drills to do at home.” 

He probably looked ridiculous on Monday morning, with his goofy smile. His cheeks were blushing every time his mind slipped about a very lovely man. It was as if puberty had decided to hit him all of sudden. Eren was happy at random times of the day, laughing for no reason and spacing out in his office. Hell, he had even called his mother _and_ Annie to talk about his date with Levi.

This was how cringy he had become. A normal guy falling head over heels for a man way too perfect for anyone. But now was the time to level-up his game. Eren had come out with a plan. Yes, a plan to impress Levi with his _unknown_ player skills. 

“Stamina is key in basketball. It is no wonder each quarter in an NBA game is twelve minutes.” A timer was already set for one minute when Armin started drawing on his white board. “...After every burpee, you would practice your shoot. Then, we will move on to...”

Perhaps the Devil’s real form was a tiny blond guy with blue eyes and called by the name of Armin. Either that or the youtuber was in fact one hell of a personal trainer. The sweat dripping from his forehead and his wet tshirt on the floor were proof of the good training he just had. The video had lasted almost an _hour_. If someone was to knock at his door at this moment, Eren wouldn’t be able to explain himself.

The floor in his living room was covered with toilet paper rolls. Some had opened under the repetitive shootings, and others were stuck on the wet surface of his floor. Armin had made him practice throwing rolls after every burpee, jump, squat, and twist he could do. Twenty, he had _twenty_ rolls in total. It had been hell to pick them up before having to restart all over again. But if he was being honest, he had a nice time doing so. 

Surely, Eren wouldn’t be target for the next recruit event but he wasn’t half bad as he—

“Don’t be too nervous if you missed most of your shoots.”

Eren paused his cleaning to look at the screen again. Armin had a reassuring smile, the white board still a giant mess of everything he had made him do in the last hour.

“It isn’t as if you will be up against an NBA player tomorrow....”

The video ended with the link to subscribe for more content but Eren faithly paid attention to it. Not ten seconds passed before he started to chuckle in disbelief. His warm hands were already over his face as he signed. He truly was not ready for it.

Armin was right, it wasn’t tomorrow that he would challenge a famous NBA _coach_ , no sir, it was in exactly _two_ days from now. But panicking wouldn’t be productive here. He had figured that the best way to win was to take Levi by surprise. The captain had stamina, good reflexe, skills, charm, a nice ass... Not that the last two were related to basketball _but_ they were definitely an advantage and very distractive. 

As he finally replaced the last furniture in the living room, the message alert of his phone began to ring. Even before picking it up, Eren felt himself smiling. He had an idea from who this could be. 

From: Captain Levi

_Can I call you?_

The clock indicated past eight, meaning that indeed the basketball team must have ended their training by now. A mix of nervosity and joy spread through his body as Eren quickly pressed the call button. He felt himself ridiculously blushing thinking at how eager he must look right now.

The phone didn’t have the time to ring twice that he heard a _deep,_ caressing voice answering.

“...Hello Eren.” 

Yeah, Levi was a real sin to listen to. A very, _very_ cheesy smile made its way onto Eren’s face. Lord, at least there was no witness in his house to see this. He could almost hear the laughs and flash of his mother and Annie in the back of his head. It was not even fun anymore, why was he still so affected by the man? 

“Hi Captain, you done for the night?”

The TV was still open on some basketball links. Eren had taken a liking in calling the other man by his nickname. It was rolling on his tongue, as if it was meant to be. But he mostly did it to hear Levi’s amused chuckle every time he was saying it.

“Actually, on a small break right now.” The laugh of Levi sounded a bit tired, which was normal after such a long day. The sun outside was already setting in the West. Eren wondered if the man had eaten at least before texting him. “I’ve a team meeting in five minutes which is why I wanted to call you.”

“Oh? Something’s wrong?” Eren prayed it wasn’t to cancel their date on Thursday, he really wanted to see the captain. 

“Well…” Levi took a pause, saying to someone that he would be back in two minutes. Eren could hear the players talking in the background. The voices became more and more distant as the captain exited the stadium. “I just wanted to hear your voice in case I finish too late.” 

The words had been almost whispered, like a shy declaration of some kind. Eren bitten his lower lip, knowing he was redder than a tomato. He felt a warm, pleasant sensation in his chest. This was why he couldn’t resist the man. Levi was charming, intelligent, loving, and above all, a wonderful human being.

A soft reply escaped his lips, forgetting that he still had the phone in his hands. 

“...I miss you.” 

Eren only realized after saying it, he probably sounded like a needy teen. Before he could try to change the subject, a noise in the background was heard again. Someone had called the name of Levi indicating that their break was over. Fuck. He mentally insulted himself for making the other surely uncomfortable. 

“Sorry, I’ve to go but Eren?” The brouhaha was gradually getting louder as Levi seemed to walk back to the stadium. Eren couldn’t talk, too _nervous_ to say something surely more stupid now. He was already anticipating the man to ignore what just happened. Maybe there was still a chance for them to be friend—

“Me too, I miss you a lot.” 

Eren had almost dropped his phone when he heard this, making Levi laugh at his embarrassment. The two men wished the other good night before hanging up. His both hands went to cover his face as soon as their call finished.

The phone fell with a heartbreaking flumpf on the floor but he had a bigger worry right now. Their conversation kept playing again and again in his head. How would he be able to focus tomorrow at work? Or even fall asleep after that?

“I cannot believe it.”

The walls, thick or not, wouldn’t have been able to cover his joyful laughs. This was surreal. Hopefully, his old neighbor below wasn’t a light sleeper. Eren started dancing around in his living room, not caring if it was childish. Yeah, he probably was a tiny bit _too_ excited right now. 

His enamoured smile didn’t leave him for the rest of the night. Even during his shower, Eren had lost a good five minutes just staying under the head. As he finally got under his bed sheet, he biten his lips to restrain from smiling but failed to do so. 

Really, Thursday couldn't arrive fast enough.

Annie and his mother had both insisted on being called after his date, probably wanting to fangirl over the man rather than hear about their night. The sky was already dark when he pushed the front doors of the building. He didn’t know how it was possible but the lady at the entry of the stadium remembered his name.

It was rather impressive if you considered that she probably saw hundreds of faces everyday. She even told him that he could park in the VIP section if he wanted now. This had made him blushed happily, saying that she was very kind before walking to the gymnasium. The familiar yellings of the players made him speed up a bit, his black bag gently swinging along his legs.

Indeed, there was a man in particular that was driving him crazy.

And here he was again, trying very hard to not make-out with the man in front of the entire basketball team. Levi had remained very close to him after the kiss on his cheek, which had made him really, _really_ happy. 

“Are you done with work?” Eren asked his question with a smile, taking a mental picture of Levi’s gorgeous appearance in sport clothes. 

The captain looked back on the players before frowning his brows while checking on Eren again. Fuck, maybe they actually were not done yet and he had disturbed their practice. But Levi seemed somehow preoccupied about something else. Eren bite his lips, already planning on saying that he could wait or something if that was the case. 

“Go Levi. I’ll stay with him.”

As Hange said this, they dragged him to the center of the court. _Oh_ , he was worried about him. Eren shot a glance over his shoulder to see Levi looking at them before _running_ to the lockers. That detail made him chuckle softly, really the captain was too adorable sometimes. 

“So, tell me everything.” He didn't know what they were referring to but that question felt strangely like home. It was as if his mother and Annie had sent a memo to Hange. Even their way to interrogate Eren was the same. But he knew better than to divulge all his secrets.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Eren tilted his head to the side, trying to act innocent but in fact praying for someone to save him. Usually, the dark stare of Annie would’ve made him talk already so they weren’t scaring him. For now at least. 

“About your date tonight...” Hange had this overly excited look in their eyes, as if they were doing some kind of clandestine research. “..with our lover boy.” They winked at him as they emphasized on the _lover_ part.

Eren cleared his throat, his eyes rapidly glancing around them. He had two options here, either being vague and classic, or…

“You won’t laugh, right?” Option two it was. Anyone could’ve noticed his excitement. Eren had almost jumped on his feet, a huge smile on his face and sparks in his eyes. They would certainly know if this was a bad idea or not. 

“Hehe, now I am even more curious.” Hange replaced their glasses with interest before making a quick salute to Eren. “Scout promise.”

“...I-...I am gonna propose him a game or something—”

“Oh, boy!” The last players on the side turned to look at them in confusion. The crazy exclamation of Hange sure was hard to miss, along with the red face of Eren. He should have seen it coming. “Levi would love for sure.”

“But Eren…” Hange got closer to him, a devilish smile on their face as they whispered the devil’s weakness. “Wanna know the secret to beat him?”

Hell, they _must_ meet with Annie and Carla after tonight.

After everyone left the court, and Hange waved happily at him, Eren took out the basketball from his bag. He only had the time to shoot twice before hearing steps approaching from behind. An appreciated smile took place on his lips, it was really unfair to be this gorgeous. The wet hair of Levi seemed to shine under the bright light, the first buttons of his white shirt not even properly done.

“Wanna do one on one?” 

Their eyes met the same way they did on their first encounter, challenging yet intrigued to see more. Eren saw Levi smiling, probably thinking that there was no limit to his boldness. This thought made him bite his lower lips, if only the man knew. Slowly, Levi removed his black jacket. The ball between them was patiently waiting for one to make the first move. 

"Ready when you are, _pretty boy_."

Eren observed attentively Levi slowly picking the ball, not losing their eyes contact. The wet black hair was deliciously retracing the man’s face, emphasizing his sharp eyes already analyzing his best options. An unexpected feeling of confidence made him lower his center, one foot slowly went behind, waiting for the signal.

He wanted to give his best. Why try if you don’t put the effort into it? The hoop was behind him, meaning that he had to block or _steal_ the ball. Levi had not yet made a move, the shadow of the light above hiding his expression.

“Should we say the first one to twenty-one wins?” The captain rolled his sleeves as he spoke, his gray eyes pouring into Eren’s. Both of them did not want to lower their gaze. “And the loser would pay for dinner?” 

The beating of his heart calmed down as well as his breathing, he was ready to face the music now. “Deal.” They had waited long enough, so the first dribble was all he needed to start.

Nothing worked better than the effect of surprise, so he didn’t take the time to think. As soon as he gave his answer, Eren started to run toward the captain.

The noise of his work shoes running on the wooden floor were the only sound in the stadium. Levi remained still the closer he got, not even looking nervous at how rapidly Eren was narrowing the last steps between them. Only when he was at one arm of distance, did the man attack. 

It only took a second before the man avoided the impact, the ball had passed behind his back, going from his right to left hand. Like a winter storm, the captain did not spare him. Eren could only be witness of the genius pivoting in front of him like he had never been there in the first place. His green eyes followed the course of the man before this one shot the ball directly from the foul line like it was made to be. 

“Two-zero, babe.”

Levi had a genuine smile, his legs already going to pick the ball. Probably not even noticing what he just used. _But,_ Eren felt the heartbeats in his chest drastically increased at the pet name. His cheeks were probably red again. Fuck, the man would be the death of him. 

Levi dribbled back to the middle line again, his shoulders looking more relaxed and his excitement easy to notice. Eren bit his lower lips, falling even more at the endearing attitude of the captain. He was glad he had proposed this. Really, the man was the most gorgeous when he was playing. He felt blessed to be able to see this side of him.

“When _I_ _win_ ,” Yeah, Eren could be cocky when he wanted but the surprised look on Levi’s face was _clearly_ worth the joke. He tried to hold his laugh. “...let’s have sushi, Captain.”

A very distinct chuckle coming from the man was all he heard. It reminded him of when he had told Annie about tonight’s plan, she had been more than amazed at his confidence. But he was this type of relationship he was looking for, teasing, funny and giving him the chills everytime he thought about it. Maybe on their next date he could officially ask Levi to be his—

“We shall see, Yeager.” Levi was already passing the ball from one hand to the other, his actions betraying how experimented he really was. A hypnotizing cacophony of sounds could have attracted anyone to the court, Eren being the first to fall for it. “Ready?” 

The orange ball expertly tried to disappear in front of him. Eren widened his stance, his arms opening to narrow the possibilities. As if he would let the other win that easily. He still hadn’t used his trump card _yet._ In fact, victory was already his and Levi was not ready for what will come. 

“Bring it, Coach.” Both men moved at the same time, the rest of the stadium quietly waiting for the last one standing to receive the praise of the invisible crowd. Laughs, exchanges of smiles and long teasing gazes were all that the last security guard saw as he passed in front of the closed door. 

“Levi?” The other turned his head at the mention of his name, the phone still in his hand. They had decided to order take-out here. Eren quickly picked up his blue jacket and his black bag before jogging to the exit. It was the best time to execute the second part of his plan. And thanks to Hange, he was _sure_ to win now. “I am back in a sec!” 

There was only one security guard when he pushed the door, the man continued his walk not without giving Eren a quick nod. The sweat on his forehead was getting dry as he followed the signs to the washroom. He had previously seen people in the hallway waiting in line for it.

A delicate odour of lilas and citrus welcomed him as he entered it. The white washroom had a giant mirror, big enough to see himself from head to toes. But Eren only saw his flushed cheeks surrounded by chocolate messy hair. This made him chuckle, he really looked like a kid at christmas. And all because of a seductive basketball coach waiting for him.

He didn’t know what was the most nerve breaking here, the fact that he was playing basketball against Levi or that he actually believed he had a chance at winning. Eren nervously opened his black bag, Hange had told him to save it for the end of the game.

The buttons of his shirt opened rapidly, followed by his clean blue pants. He took off his leather shoes to replace them with his gym sneakers. The short he put arrived at mid-thigh, Eren smiled wondering if Levi would notice it. The cold air from the AC made him shiver slightly in the cabinet. Well, moment of truth.

Only one thing left to do.

The fabric of the sweatshirt was soft on his skin as he jogged back to the middle of the court. Eren slowed his approach when he saw Levi’s back. The captain rapidly dribbled, his eyes hidden by his dark hair. He had never really paid attention to sports before but he could watch all day Levi playing.

The man had advanced on the court, dodging invisible opponents before jumping in the air. Eren held his breath, unexpectedly immersed by the beauty of the scene. For a brief moment, Levi seemed to fly before beautifully laying up the ball at the hoop. 

Like he did the first time he saw the man playing, Eren clapped happily in his hands. He wasn’t lying when he said that he was impressed, but how not to be? Levi picked the rolling ball before looking in the direction of the noise. Eren didn’t need a mirror to know that he was blushing.

The captain was undressing him with his eyes as he approached. He scratched the back of his head to hide his embarrassment, making the bottom of his sweatshirt exposed the skin of his stomach. The captain’s eyes lowered at the action.

“So? Whose turn was it again?” 

Eren took the ball from Levi as he spoke. The ball naturally fitted into his hands, now more used to the round shape of it. He turned to face the hoop, giving the captain the view of his ass. The burning feeling of being admired at pleased him more than the actual basket he just did. Indeed, the little effect he had been wishing for seemed to be working. 

“Yours, _babe_.” 

Hell, he didn’t know if this was a good sign or not. The voice of Levi had taken a low, very deep tone. Eren bended himself to pick the ball, trying to act innocent while goosebumps had already made their way over his bare legs.

The smell of his sweatshirt was delicately teasing his nose, making him take a deep breath before turning again. The captain had his serious expression again, not even troubled by his appearance. But Eren noticed the space between them narrowing as he started dribbling. 

His eyes looked for an opening, anything that could help me pass the man. It was easier to move in his shirt, but that still didn’t help him in any way. Eren protected his ball by turning slightly his upper body to the right, feeling caged as the captain did not give him time to react before going for the kill. The ball had already left his hands, not fast enough to secure his position. Levi winked at him before shooting from the 3pters line. 

“You are really good.” The little praise did make the man smile at him.

The score was now 19-6 for the captain. The only time he had been able to mark was more due to his luck than real skills. But Eren was having fun regardless of the situation. One shoot left and he would lose the game. He already had the money ready for the food in his wallet, it was just a question of seconds now. 

“Should I show you?”

The question seemed like the man was teasing him, almost challenging him to say no. Levi went to grab the basketball on the sideline, his black hair hiding partially in expression but Eren could tell the other had a silly smile. He took a long breath and closed his eyes to calm himself but it was hard not to be nervous. The quiet steps coming back his way made his heartbeats go even faster than before. 

“Basketball is like tango.”

Eren opened his eyes at the sensation of a light touch going over his waist. The ball had not left the man’s right hand, not yet bouncing on the floor but he couldn’t focus on their game. He could feel the heat coming from the captain’s body, now directly in front of him. Maybe he should have changed earlier if he knew it would create such a reaction.

The thumpings of his heart were probably loud enough to be heard at this point. Levi was looking at him, his grip tightening to bring their body closer together. The delicious odour emanating from the other seemed to have blurred even more his mind. Fuck, there was no way out of their attraction. 

“The head usually indicated where the ball would go.” This was bad, _very_ bad. He bit his lower lip, trying to hold the pleased moan he was about to make. A delicate caress along his neck had sent him goosebumps all the way to the tips of his nipples. Levi’s nose continued his sweet way to the jaw of Eren, his voice sounding slightly hoarser than before. “So you have to trick your opponent.” 

Eren didn’t resist very long before entering the Devil’s little game. His lips slowly retraced the earlobe of Levi before biting it teasingly. Why should he be the only one losing his mind? The atmosphere around them seemed heavier as his hands left his sides to gently follow the other’s lower back.

The strong muscles of Levi were hard, ripped and surely, _surely_ , devastating in a bed. Eren had lost the number of times he had dreamed about being manly taken by the captain. Just imagining Levi naked was a supplice. Unconsciously, he pushed his hips forward. Passion and desire were thick in the air but not as much as Levi’s undeniable control over Eren’s body.

The breaths over his neck were _hot_ , tempting Eren to take the final step. The strength in his knees was almost ready to give up as the other continued to tease him. But that was not the major problem here. _No_ , the real problem was Levi’s mouth not being far from his skin now. 

“You can either go to the left.” As he said this, Eren felt a _kiss_ under his jaw. This made him expose more of his neck to the man, losing more and more the reason. A soft moan escaped from him. The lips of Levi were burning on him, his own skin wishing they could stay longer. 

“Or to the right.” The captain gave him another kiss on his neck, their chests now pressed against each other. A teasing hand went under Eren’s sweatshirt, taking its time to follow the sensible skin of his back, creating invisible arabesques of butterfly touches here and there. The difference of temperature between their two skins was like a burning fire meeting a cold lake, Eren couldn’t stop himself from getting even closer to the man. 

“But my favorite is to attack from behind.” Eren shivered at the implication of the man. Enough was enough.

Who moved first? The sound of the ball dropping on the floor resonated in the empty stadium. Their lips crashed together, neither of them playing anymore. Eren’s hands were impatiently grabbing the raven hair, his tongue begging Levi’s lips to open.

His hoodie was half lifted on his back, a gentle pressure on his nape prevented him from flying away. The captain’s right hand had passed under his shirt while the other went to squeeze roughly his ass. Eren felt himself melting under the possessive grip. 

“Fuck...you are _so_ pretty right now.”

Levi had moaned the sweet praise, both hands now holding Eren’s ass. The new position made it even more obvious how eager he had become. He sensually raised his leg to embrace the man’s waist. They were kissing like they didn’t need to breathe anymore. 

A warm, thick, _long_ sensation near his inner thigh was more than suffisant for Eren to take back possession of the man’s lips. Hell with the preliminaries, or even a bed. Now all he could dream of was being pushed on the floor of a basketball court—

“Coach Ackerman?”

The door opened at the far end of the gymnasium, a loud, enthusiastic voice made Eren abruptly jump on Levi. He sure as hell did _not_ expect someone to see him that way. The big noise of them both falling on the ground made the security guard froze in his approach. The man opened then closed then reopened his mouth to finally awkwardly speak again.

“...A man from the sushi restaurant has delivered this for you, sir.”

Levi and Eren remained quiet for a _long_ moment, staring both at the giant seeing them in their more than obvious position. A spontaneous laugh escaped from Eren’s lips. Both the guard and the captain looked at him, confused by his unusual reaction.

“...T-thank you, Levi.” His entire body was shaking from laughing too hard. But really, this night couldn’t have been more perfect than this. His hands were on both sides of Levi’s gorgeous head.

Eren bent himself to kiss tenderly on the lips of the man. “Guess, I won.”

The captain genuinely smiled as he raised himself on his elbows to steal another kiss. Both of them stood up, their hands naturally met without either of them looking at the other. The food had tasted somehow better that night. 

The wind outside was still warm when they got in the parking lot. Eren had remained in his shorts and his hoodie, Levi holding his black bag with the basketball he had given him on the first meeting. The captain had shown with _great_ distinction how glad he was that Eren had kept it.

It really had been a nice date, and a lovely dinner afterwards. The desire to get closer had been hard to contain. Surely, Eren had kept getting lost into the gray eyes of Levi but this wasn’t really a surprise at this point. 

“I will clean and give it to you next time.”

The keys of the car in his hands, Eren remained lean against the driver’s door. He had his bag by his side but was not making a move to leave. They both have work tomorrow but clearly neither of them wanted to end the night. 

“Don’t.” Levi filled the last step between them, one hand gently pulling down Eren’s neck while the other leaning on the car.

Both men closed their eyes, cutting the chase. Their lips met in a soft yet meaningful way, neither thinking that it was too soon to show their final trump card. 

The stadium was getting smaller by the seconds in his rear mirror. They had probably stayed another fifteen minutes kissing before finally letting the other go. Eren didn’t even notice the radio was turned off and the car going way below the speed limits.

The memories of tonight replaying in his head like a good old vinyl, all being special in their own way. But one phrase in particular made him even more aware of the manly scent on his skin. 

“ _It looks better on you._ ” 

And this is how Eren received the hoodie of a _very_ attractive basketball coach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year lovely people 🎉
> 
> I wish for everyone to be healthy, receive tons of love, and realize long overdue dreams, if I could, I would’ve given everyone a HUGE hug 😚
> 
> How did you find this chapter? 🏀  
> (please don’t mind the typos – unedited chapter for now ‘cause I really wanted to share it today)🙈
> 
> The hoodie would come back and I'm thinking of Levi's POV for next chapter....
> 
> Love y’all (again HAPPY NEW YEAR) and! New update in two weeks like usual ❤🙏


	6. Lucky Three

“...So I heard a _very_ interesting story from Moblit.” 

Levi’s eyes were already rolling in annoyance. Was there a time in the day where Hange was actually working? This was probably the biggest mystery after the reason on how they had become friends in the first place. He could still remember their very first encounter. Levi had transferred to high school during the middle of the semester.

After somehow managing to present himself without glancing _too_ hard at the others, he had found himself on a basketball court the next hour. Starting with gym class on the first day wasn’t the best but Levi had not cared if no one wanted to team up with him. He had played like he would’ve at nights, fast and unforgiving in sign of weakness. While everyone had taken their distances with him, one person had approached him, praising him for his skills. 

Years have passed and people have changed. But since that day, Hange had been part of his life whether or not he had wanted it. And If he was being honest, they were a _true_ pain in the ass but _sometimes_ they were also not too bad to be with. 

“He told me about last night’s little...incident.”

Like he thought, today was _not_ a good day to be around Hange. With his fist under his chin, Levi feigned to be watching the practice match before me. It was not even lunch time yet but the captain _knew_ that it wouldn’t take long before they had found out. Either Hange had too many friends or they had put bugs on him. Hell, probably the entire stadium was talking about it by now. He could have agreed that he was acting differently than before.

Who wouldn’t be shocked if they heard about the almost sex on the floor with the coach? More than half the team thought Levi was married to his job. And here he was, losing his shit every time Eren and his adorable smile were in sight. 

The sound of a whistle made Levi glance back at the court. Petra was still taking notes on the sideline, while Rico had approached the teams to switch lead positions. Miche, being the tallest and strongest of the team, was the centre. Ackerman and Kirstein were the main forwards but it was still questionable whether or not they needed to change the guard players. Luckily, the team didn’t have a game this weekend.

“Maybe I should ask Eren directly about it.” Hange’s voice sounded more teasing than serious. A faith sigh escaped his lips as he briefly closed his eyes. Levi was no fool, he knew this was only a bait to make him react. And the worst was that it _worked_. 

“You got _one_ question before I kicked your ass out of my gym.”

“Five.”

“Or I could call security on you.” The threat wasn’t really one. Levi wasn’t even surprised by Hange's bargain. Hell, they were friends for a reason. 

“What is Eren’s number again? 313-52—” Indeed, both of them were stubborn to the bone.

“Fine.” The simple fact that they knew by heart the first digit of Eren’s phone number was scary. He didn’t want to imagine if they met the whole family what would happen then. “Two and then I’ll kill you.” Levi’s death stare did nothing more on Hange then making them laugh happily. 

“Make it three and we are good.”

The phone still in their hand, Hange now had a smiling smile like they knew they had the upper hand. Levi didn’t immediately answer them. How would Eren react if they were to call him about last night? Unconsciously, he bit his lips.

Levi could already picture his cute blushing face trying to explain himself to Hange’s interrogator. _But_ there was a tiny problem there. He didn’t want to give satisfaction to his lousy friend. 

“...Schultz! Move to your left!” Their surroundings were still lively as it was on a Friday morning. Levi quickly shot another look at the game. It was always impressive to see Petra shouting like they were all on a battlefield.

The team was still playing on the right half of the court, Ness now as the shooting guard. It was the best solution to improve their defensive end. Ackerman could’ve filled the spot but the small forward position needed a versatile player and no one showed more tenacity than her. Petra and Rico were watching from the side, giving cues to make the ball move faster from one player to another. 

After yet another annoyed sigh, Levi turned on his chair to face Hange. 

“I’m _so_ gonna regret this.” Only an evil smile answered him. Fucking hell, it was better not be some shitty reverse psychology to make him realize stuff he wasn’t ready to say aloud. Levi was already too conscious about his attraction for Eren. Worse even, he knew that this wasn’t a simple flirt for him.

“Alright, first question.” Hange had taken a serious look, their eyes pouring into Levi’s like it was some kind of mind control show. The only thing missing was a clock necklace. “Have you told them yet?”

By _them,_ Hange was referring to the only people that had raised him. Despite all the hardships, problems with the police or the neighbors being asses, they had been there from his very first steps to the moment he had been named NBA coach of Detroit. 

Kuchel, his mother, was a loving person. You know, those types of people that are simply so wonderful yet so unfortunate at the same time. Levi had seen on numerous occasions his mother being truly happy, sometimes so happy that perhaps it was almost _too_ good to be true. He had never known who’s dad was, the man had left without any regard for them but that never stopped his mother.

Over the years, she had accepted their reality, with tears and sometimes lots of anger. But she still wanted to find love and be loved again. Where Levi had a hard time meeting and softening his words, Kuchel was this warm bubble that wanted a second chance at finding someone worthy of her love. 

But like a vicious circle or a flower that only attracts ungrateful bees, his mother had a gift for surrounding herself with the lowest kind. Maybe Kuchel had never realized how beautiful of a flower she was, or maybe she felt that this was the only type of bee she deserved.

Unexpectedly, she never stopped from looking for _the_ one. And it was something Levi had always admired about his mother, her stubbornness. Regardless of the cries, regardless of the long night waiting to receive a call that never came, Kuchel had never thought about giving up on love. Maybe that’s why Levi had done the opposite and completely shut down on meeting new people. 

At the other side of the spectrum was his uncle. Kenny was more like the thorns on a rose. It wasn’t meant to be approached, nor picked by anyone on the outside. Where Kuchel was a lonely and elegant flower in a garden, Kenny was the shield waiting to protect that beauty. In the first few years, Levi had encountered his uncle from time to time. Always appearing like this unbreakable man, either showing the epitome of masculinity or being completely blind to his mother’s distress. 

But everything had changed after one day, he had moved into their house. Levi must have been six or seven years old at the time and it was then that something had changed into their little life. The quiet nights of Levi wondering in his bed if his mother was fine or not had been replaced by laughs, loud discussions about various subjects, to even moments where Levi had been dragged out of his bed to dance with them in the middle of the night.

It was only a year of living all together that Levi had asked his uncle _why_ he had decided to move in with them. 

_“Because your mom makes me smile, kiddo.”_

At that time, Levi had simply accepted this answer without really thinking about it. Only as an adult, he knew what his uncle had really meant by that. In order for Kenny to be happy, his mother needed to be happy as well. The man had seen his sister crying and not seeming to be living her life to the fullness. Now everytime Kuchel found someone, they had to meet Kenny as well. Like the thorn protecting their rose from careless hands. 

“No, not yet,” Levi was not worried about Eren meeting them. His uncle and mother would fall in love with the ray of sunshine that was Eren, then his family would show him _pictures_ and tell _stories_ that not a soul should hear unless they want to suffer. “but soon.” 

Hell, he certainly had lost reason. But the idea of Eren meeting his family was more and more tempting. Kuchel and Kenny would be happy and he knows Eren would have a nice time too. For God’s sake. He had become so smitten for the younger man that he also wanted to meet Eren’s family now.

“I will ask Kuchel to record the dinner when that happens,” If the grim reaper had a way to kill people with one look, Levi could certainly have applied for the job. Hange grinned maliciously at him, not one bit scared of his murderous stare. “for research purposes of course.”

“Remind me to delete your number after today.” The threat wasn’t really one since they both knew Hange would hunt him down if needed. 

“Ah, come on Levi. Don't be shy with me." Levi clicked his tongue at the joyful tone of Hange. Perhaps, he had been too easy on them lately. Hange continued to laugh at his dark expression. "We're family.” 

Levi stayed silent as he glanced for a second at the court. His friend was right anyway. They have been family since years now. But another member had been recently added to his small circle of people that he trusted.

“You gonna show him your house?” _This_ was a question that he had been thinking about for the past couple of days. Hange knew how annoyed he was with people and their disgusting germs in his house. He could count on one hand the number of people who knew who he lived. 

“If he wants to.” The expression of Hange’s face was one to remember. They didn’t move for a second, probably processing the unexpected answer of Levi in their small head. Hysterical laughs filled the court, making Petra and the others turning their heads to confusingly glanced at them both. 

They continued for almost half an hour talking about this. The team had at some point stopped playing to go eat outside. It was the cue Levi had waited for to call Eren. Hange, also knowing that this was the usual time they talked to each other, remained silent next to him. It was taking longer than usual for the other to answer.

Levi briefly shot another glance at the big clock, double-checking the time. Eren's break was usually around 11h30. 

“...Yes?” Weird, _very_ weird. It wasn’t the adorable and joyful voice of Eren but instead a rather blunt woman’s voice. Levi furrowed his brows. Maybe a colleague..? 

“Hi, may I speak with Eren Yeager, please?” It must be someone close to Eren to answer his phone for him or… maybe a thief? Hell, hopefully the young man wasn’t dead in some creepy alley. 

“Who’s asking?” The voice of the woman sounded as if simply talking on the phone was the most annoying thing in the world. It was straightforward, not trying to fake politeness or any happy shit people do sometimes. Levi appreciated the honesty. 

“Levi Ackerman.”

“...” 

For _several_ seconds, there was no sound on the other side of the line. 

“Coach Ackerman, we gotta talk.” Some noises in the background could be heard, a door closing abruptly. The woman did not wait for Levi’s reply before talking again. “Anaheim is in two weeks from now, what’s your strategy?” 

Usually, Levi was not easy to impress nor surprised but one thing for sure he could tell in an instant if he liked a person or not. Hell most people were shithead and always asking stupid ass questions. But this person, probably Eren’s best friend from what Eren had said about them, was the kind that didn’t push around. 

“Princeton offensive play at the first face-off, then hard man-on-man.” He was pretty sure that this person didn’t need an explanation on what was the play, especially if they were a fan of the sport. “Anaheim always used long passes over the court." 

“Who’s gonna be the point guard for the offense? Ackerman or Schultz?” They really were something else. No one had thought about switching the offensive guard before Levi and now this fan was simply confirming his point to have a better strategy. 

“Annie? Who’s it?” The phone seemed to switch from one hand to another before a familiar voice made him bite his lips in content. 

“...Levi?” The voice of Eren sounded a little husky in his ears, and not in a good way. Levi tried to calm the thumpings of his heartbeat. Fuck. He really wanted to see him now.

“Hey, babe.” He loved to call Eren by this pet name. It felt so natural on his tongue, and the other seemed to like it too. Hange almost choked on their water when they heard him speak. But what could he say, he was really whipped for Eren. “You feeling ok?”

“Meh, not sure.” Even he could tell the other didn't seem well while talking. Levi's mind was already trying to remember the team's doctor phone number. “A bit dizzy since this morning.” 

“You took off today?” 

“Annie made me.” Yeah, that Annie was a keeper, a good friend for Eren to have around. The tension in his shoulder decreased significantly knowing that the other was resting at home. 

They hang out a couple of minutes afterwards. Eren had given him the password to the main door of his building. Saying that if he wanted to watch something together later after work, he could come. The key to his apartment should be hidden under the front mat if there was no answer.

After he finished talking with Hange, Levi quickly went to inform his assistant-coaches that he should be back in about two to three hours. Petra and Rico didn’t even seem surprised, telling him to not worry about the practice that he could leave it to them for the day. Levi could tell the Hange had already told them about the _incident_ on the floor last night. 

At least, he had taken the black Challenger today. Only when he knew he was going outside the city or for special occasions did he drive the Shelby or the other ones. Hell if there was a thing he didn’t like was to bring attention to him. But knowing that Eren was sick today and alone was enough to make him bail on the practice and shop at some local store to surprise him. And man, it would be a first for him as well. He had quickly googled the recipe for a good old style chicken soup. 

The cashier as well as the manager had both taken a picture with him before he left the store. His baseball hat and his sweatpants didn’t fool anyone there. Hell, even the kids kept on screaming _Coach Ackerman_ until he got into his car.

If he was being completely honest, a little while ago it would have been a major pain in the ass for him to shop during daylight. He would have kicked some asses back then. But fuck. Now he was just stupidly happy to be there for someone he cared about. 

On his way to Eren’s building, Levi made another quick stop at a corner shop. Like hell he wouldn’t have a back-up plan if the food turned out bad. He wanted to be sure Eren had something to eat today. And he remembered the other saying that he particularly liked to eat a certain thing when he was not feeling well. 

Three bags of food and various stuff later, he finally parked his car. Few people outside did look in his direction, eyes mostly looking at the car than himself. No one even paid attention to him in the entry as he quickly made his way to the third floors. Only a couple of seniors waved at him before taking their leaves downstairs.

The door of Eren’s apartment was on the left side of the staircase, not a sound could be heard in the hallway. The three firm knocks of Levi were followed by silence but he had already assumed Eren was probably sleeping. 

The hidden key allowed him to enter, having previously loosen up his shoes to not bring dirt into Eren’s home. The walls were all white, reminding him of his own house. Everything was neatly placed, the dark wooden floor was warm under his feet as he stepped into it.

The kitchen was directly on his left, with the living room facing him with three giant windows. The doors of most certainly Eren's bedroom and the toilet were closed but Levi didn't want to waking up the other. He simply wished that, by some miracle, he would succeed what he had planned.

"...Where to start?"

Well damn. Levi was screwed. It would probably be a surprise for most people that didn’t know him but this was the ugly true. He was a real _shit_ at cooking. Usually, someone would think that since one trained so hard and was into the sport world, they would certainly know how to cook. How far from reality were they. But if cereal or rice was considered a meal then perhaps Levi was an all-star Michelin chef. 

As he looked over the kitchen, that was to be fair, pretty clean and with no dirty dishes in the sink, Levi quickly realized that he didn’t know what to do. He emptied all the ingredients on the white counter before starting to look for a pot big enough to make a soup. Maybe the best way was to wash everything first.

After rolling up his sleeves and opening the water, he started with the carrots. He was so focused on his task that he didn’t notice the quiet noise of a doorknob opening.

“You cooking for me?” 

A low, adorable sleepy voice made Levi turn away from the wet clean legumes in the sink.

_Legs._

Tanned and pretty long legs with some cute little short and his basket hoodie. Messy chocolate curls and lips to be damn for. Hell with the practice, they were able to survive one day without him. Or two, not that the captain cared at the moment. 

Eren was half-awake as he slowly made his way to the kitchen stools. His face seemed a bit flushed, probably down with a fever. The hoodie was a little too short on him, showing more than enough skin. Levi bit his lip while looking at the other. Fuck.

Memories from last night on the court were all coming back again. He sure had added this security guy on his shit list, next to Hange. Eren had probably no idea how _difficult_ Levi had to stop himself from pushing him roughly on the floor, and making a beautiful mess out of him. And by the way they had make-out, it appeared to be a mutual feeling that night. 

“Trying to but in case I bought a fire extinguisher.” He finally found his voice. Levi hopefully wouldn’t need to use it, but it was always better than be sorry. “You like chicken soup?”

“With tomatoes in it.”

A fly could be heard for a short moment. There was no hesitation in Eren’s voice when he said this _strange_ thing. A hard to content chuckle broke the silence.

“Tomato? In a chicken soup?” He sure hoped his poker face was still on, his lips slowly losing their battle to amusement. Why every time they met, Eren kept on surprising him more than anyone else? His mother would have known right away what this meant. “Is that the fever talking right now?”

“I also like them with my rice.” Eren went to the cabinet next to the fridge, briefly looking for something. His short moving upward as he bent.

Levi couldn’t gaze away from this sweet ass nicely showing for him. Either the other was doing it on purpose or the thing was _really_ hard to find. A wave of heat made Levi replace his shirt, his skin feeling somehow hot with Eren nearby.

“...Found it!” The infamous can of _tomatoes_ was raised towards the ceiling to be admired by all. Eren straightened himself back before tilting his head to the side, eyeing Levi with a silly smile. Fucking pretty boy knew. He knew Levi had not paid attention to the can at all, too interested in his little show. “You look good in those pants.” 

“Mmh.. flirting with the chef, aren’t we?” As he said this, Levi came closer to Eren to bring their foreheads together. Cold skin met an unusual hot one. “You are a bit warm, babe.”

A grateful sigh escaped from Eren’s lips as he closed his eyes, probably enjoying the cold sensation. Levi’s hands cupped the other’s face to have a better look. Eren seemed tired, probably dehydrated too from the fever. His thumbs gently caressed the blushing cheeks before meeting yet again two gorgeous green eyes observing him back. 

“Can I help you?” 

No one would have resisted such a sweet demand, especially Levi and his non-existent brain at the pleading tone. He cleared his throat, trying to act normal for once around the other. It wasn’t really the time to fantasize about his pretty lover. Eren was way above anyone’s league. Hell, he could probably lead the world with those eyes alone. 

Levi bitten his lower lips while gazing at the other. 

“Wanna cut the carrots and the rest while I bone the chicken?” He didn’t let go yet of Eren, waiting for his reply.

Warm arms slowly embraced Levi’s back, bringing the men closer to the other. Levi could smell his own detergent on Eren’s hoodie, making it even more difficult to concentrate. 

Eren nodded silently, a happy smile showing that he liked the idea of cooking together. But that made Levi’s heartbeat increase drastically at the sight. He talked before even thinking, his lips only a few inches away from the blushing skin.

“I’m really lucky to have met you.” Levi kissed him on the cheek as he said those words. 

His hands left the face of Eren to follow on his shoulders, to his arms and finally grabbing the red can in his hand. The surprised expression of Eren was quickly replaced by a huge smile. It was worth sometimes being vulnerable if it meant to make his lover happy. 

After that, Eren played some music in the kitchen to make it more pleasurable. They both took placed on a stool, their arms and legs touching the other as they continued talking and preparing the soup. Luckily, Eren was hungry and so was Levi. Usually, he only had a quick snack in between games at work. 

The boiling water and the pleasant aromas of noodles and chicken filled the apartment. Two fuming bowls were placed on the counter by the stools. They didn't bother to set the table to eat, not wanting Eren to move around too much for no reason. 

_"And they say, chivalry is dead dead, dead."_

A familiar song from the speaker made him look on his side. 

Levi temporarily got lost in Eren’s adorable way of eating. The younger man seemed to try very hard not to be messy, taking his sweet time to taste the soup. An endearing smile made his way on Levi’s lips. Yeah, he could get used to this nice domestic lifestyle. 

After they ate and cleaned the kitchen together, Eren went to get them a blanket and some pillow to be comfortable in the living room. 

They had started the movie over an hour ago, deciding on watching the first thing they saw on Netflix. _A Monster Calls._ Both sat next to each other on the couch. Levi’s hand had naturally placed itself on Eren’s knee, giving the other a little smile at the gesture. They didn’t really talk, seeming both to enjoy this quiet moment of unspoken tenderness, unspoken growing feeling of pleasure to be with each other. 

As the music coming from the television continued to play gently, Levi felt the head of Eren resting on his shoulder. The blanket was still covering them both and the half eaten popcorn bowl was placed on the coffee table. The steady breathing on his neck made Levi smile softly. He turned down the volume before looking away from the screen to observe his sleepy lover.

“Babe?” 

His voice was not louder than a whisper, not actually wanting to wake up the other. The lights coming from the movie allowed Levi to discern the peaceful expression on Eren’s face. Hell, even when he was sleeping he was pretty.

As if Eren was made of glass, Levi’s hand delicately brushed away a strand of hair from his closed eyes. _Really beautiful._ The discussion he had earlier with Hange only confirmed what he already unconsciously knew for a while now.

“Oh? Not gonna ask your last question?” Levi was rather surprised to see Hange slowly getting up from their chair after he finished his call with Eren. Usually, they were not one to go easy on being a real ass detective. 

“I don’t even need to.” They both locked eyes, relief and joy dancing on Hange’s face. The court around them continued to be as lively as ever, but the voice of Hange was the only thing he could perceive. “Anyone can tell, Levi” 

An unexpected chuckle followed before they gave him a knowing smile. As if he had no secret for them. Hange seemed really happy all of sudden, almost thrilled at Levi’s confused expression. Like he was the idiot for being so slow. But their last words had made him run to the nearest exit to the parking lot. 

_“You like him.”_

Like a breeze during a summer night, or a pleasant cold wind of winter, Levi felt goosebumps travel over his bare arms while looking at Eren. The young man seemed at ease next to him, only his body heat gently warming them both.

Levi slowly brought his lips on top of Eren’s head, smelling the sweet scent of his hair in the process. He had never been this relaxed and nervous at the same time before. 

A pleasant silence in the apartment followed as the movie showed the last scene of the giant tree and the boy parting ways. The sun had already started to decrease in the sky and if he rushed, Levi could still make it to the end of the practice but he didn’t try to move.

His heartbeats resonated in his head as he placed his head on top of Eren’s. The words came out like it was the only prayer left to ask before finally resting in peace.

“Can I be your boyfriend?” 

The murmur had been so soft, the feeling so _real_ that only one with a similar desire to be heard could have answered even in his sleep.

  
“ _Yes, captain.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY! Sorry for the wait. I'm late 😱!! And also sorry this chapter isn't my best work. I needed to set the whole picture for the following chapter (alone in a apartment..)
> 
> I've already ideas for the next chapter and hopefully it would be 👀🙈. 
> 
> How did you find this chapter? (No edited - sorry for the mistakes.! I just finished it)
> 
> Also! The song at the end was [Chivalry Is Dead](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yXfXt8zoj0&ab_channel=honeii) by Trevor Wesley. 😌 
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read the fic 😚.
> 
> See you in two weeks 🙏
> 
> Love you all ❤


	7. -3 degrees Celsius

“Alright Yeager, do _not_ freak out.” 

The condensation on the window frame had started to form as the warm air met the colder air of the outside. Eren quickly scanned around for any kind of _weapon_ that could be used. He could almost sense in the air the urgency of the situation, the bastard was going down. He had seen enough psycho thriller movies to know that those who died first were usually dumbass taking a shower or running into the woods. And like hell his last moment would be in a bathtub, completely naked and at the mercy of a deranged mind.

He had woken up a little bit after eight o’clock, meaning that he had a nap of roughly four hours. There was no one except him in the apartment, almost making him believe that Levi never came earlier to eat and watch a movie with him. _But_ the soft pillow behind his head and the huge blanket covering his body had made him hide his face in delight. 

His headache and fever were gone, but that wasn’t the only thing. After he had got up from the couch, Eren had briefly looked around to see if Levi was still there but he had no such luck on this side. For sure the man had work and he had been sweet enough to spend the afternoon with him but a part of him wished he had left a note before leaving.

The sky outside was still showing the colors of the sunset when he opened the curtains. A mix of pink, orange and blue all indicating that tomorrow would be a beautiful day. Only one thing was missing. There was no Shelby parked on the street but that simply confirmed his theory.

The hot water had felt like heaven on his body. He had removed all his clothes after closing the bathroom door behind him, feeling revived with this simple action.The soap and the shampoo scents filled the bathroom as he started washing and humming in happiness. Everything was perfect, except that he was alone in his shower but another day, and another time maybe. 

An unexpected noise made him stop all movements. It had been rather loud, as if something had dropped on the floor or rather _someone_. His heartbeat unexpectedly raced for a second at the thought. _Shit_. Had he locked the door before going into his shower? 

There were indeed strange sounds in the apartment as he cut the water. Eren quietly went out of his bath to grab something and cover himself. His hair was still wet and stuck to his forehead but he didn’t bother drying them. He mechanically wrapped the towel around his hips.

Unknown steps seemed to slowly approach in the direction of the bathroom. Eren rolled his shoulders backwards and moved his head sideways, the punger held firmly in his right hand. Hell, thank god Annie was into MMA and liked to practice - _kick his ass_ \- with him.

If he was able to lean a hook or two at Annie, then this asshole trying to rob him would be a piece of cake.

“It’s show time.”

Maybe he should slack off on those action beefy macho movies but he always wanted to say this. Eren had his left hand on the doorknob, feeling a rush of adrenaline as he heard the stranger stopped on the other side of the door. 

His heart was beating like he had just run a marathon and the plunger was already raised above his head for the fatal hit. Abruptly, like a snake going for their prey, he opened the bathroom door. Better kill than be—

“Easy, tiger.” 

The colder air of the apartment made Eren shivered unconsciously on his bare feet, that or the beautiful apparition in front of him. Pale hands were slightly raised in the air while a small grin had taken place on the man’s face.

“I surround myself.” Amused grey eyes met surprised green ones. 

“....Jesus Christ, Levi! You scared me.” Eren signed in relief as he lowered the plunger. “I thought you left.”

His free hand went to push the wet strands of hair stuck to his forehead, making the mid-section of his torso contract onto the motion. Delicious trails of water followed the caramel skin on his skin, passing on his flat stomach to finally reach the beginning of the towel around his hips. 

“Missing me already?” Levi had leaned against the door frame, his eyes not leaving Eren’s. “You were still asleep when I went out. I had to grab my bag and park the car on the other side of the street.”

“Fuck, sorry about that.” He felt like an idiot now. “I didn’t see the Shelby down the street when I checked earlier.” 

“Have the Challenger today, love.” Levi’s voice had taken the manly, husky tone that made Eren melt directly on the spot.

Not even noticing the glory sight he was giving, or rather his lack of clothes, he simply put down the plunger next to the toilet. The beating of his heart had slowly calmed down as well as the tension in his body he felt earlier. 

“Oh? You got a lot of cars?” He leaned his shoulder on the opposite side of the door, the apartment only illuminated by the light of the bathroom. The man had probably figured by now that Eren was a sucker for cars, so he didn’t need to hide his interest.

“You feeling any better?” The older man cleared his throat while looking briefly at the living room on the side. The clock on the wall behind Levi showed past eight and half, meaning that Friday’s basketball practice was almost done for Detroit’s team.

“Yeah, the shower helped a lot and my head feels better too now.” Eren softly smiled at the man realizing how late it was right now. This gorgeous man, _Levi_ , had taken the day off _for him_ because he had a fever. Hell, he was probably blushing now. Maybe he could still blame on the hot water of the shower but it would be just a stupid lie. “Thanks for earlier.”

“That’s good, you do look better.” Levi straightened himself. Now that their eyes were at the same level, Eren slowly became aware that he was naked and only a towel was covering him. As if the captain knew exactly what he was thinking, he gave him a charming look. “And if you want, I could show you the rest of my cars back at my place.”

Eren chuckled before moving so he could be less than an arm away from the man. Why not use his absence of cloth in his favor? One of his hands went to shake his wet hair again, making Levi follow with attention his action. 

“Careful, captain.” With the silliest little smile on his face, Eren tilted his head to the side. He knew the man liked to be called by his nickname, and fuck, even he found it sexy. “What if I’m actually a thief?” 

“Then I’ll gladly handcuff you if I need to, babe.” Eren felt his dick twitching at the indecent image of being at the mercy of the captain. Hell, he liked vanilla but rough sex was a big turn on for him. Levi took the last step separating their bodies. “Mind if I take a shower too?”

The tension was there, especially now that their faces were only inches away from each other. Eren wanted to tease some more the man, building up the painfully desire to be fucked like there was no tomorrow. Hell, maybe he was a fucking masochist for wanting this sweet torture to continue a bit longer than it should be. 

“Too bad I took one already.”

Before Levi even had the chance to innocently and _nicely_ propose him a tempting offer, Eren gave him a quick kiss before passing next to Levi and exiting the bathroom. He had it _so_ bad. Even his dick had gotten a bit hard just from their little flirting.

“I’ll go get dressed while you shower.” He sure didn’t miss the soft laugh in his back as he made his way to the bedroom.

The heartbeats in his chest were already through the roof at the simple thought of spending the night alone with the other man. Eren shot a glance over his shoulder to spot Levi staring directly at him, hopefully his ass which only made him walk slower. Why not let the man enjoy the view while he can?

Only after he closed the bedroom door behind him did he hear the bathroom’s closing too. The back of his head encountered his bedroom door quietly as Eren closed his eyes. His white teeth slowly bit his lower lip to restrain the flux of thoughts he was about to have about a very naked man in his shower. Fuck and _fuck._ This night would be so _hard_ for his self-control. 

Eren looked into his drawer, hesitating for more than a minute whether or not he should wear boxers with sweatpants. There were both men and he felt very at ease with the other _but_ he couldn’t deny the attraction between them. And an erection was easier to hide in baggy pants. Thank fucking god Eren didn’t have a roommate with all the wet dreams he had about the captain. 

The water coming from the shower tap sent a wave of goosebumps along his skin. The soft fabric of his pants met the head of his sensitive dick, making it twitch sensually. A moan hard to contain escaped Eren’s lips at the light stimulation.

When was the last time he got laid? A very _long_ time and now with a charming and _wet_ Levi in his apartment, it was almost impossible not to fantasize.

After quickly putting away the dirty laundry and the bowls of popcorn left on the coffee table, Eren went to the kitchen. He had ended up wearing a white shirt, _and_ black sweatpants. His hair was a savage mess after trying to dry them with the towel but he couldn’t do much about it. 

Only the light above the oven was opened, allowing him to move expertly around the kitchen. Eren filled the electrical kettle with the water from the fridge, not wanting to use the sink since Levi was still in the shower. With a pensive look, he went over his collection of teas before finally choosing the oldest one he possessed.

The Oolong tea leaves were in a hermetic sealed container, allowing the tea to slowly oxidize and taste richer over time. Eren had received it years ago and only a handful of times did he use them to preserve the quality but he was sure Levi would appreciate the gesture. 

The quiet growling of his stomach made him look around the kitchen in the hope of a late-night snack. And also something to take off his mind from the closed bathroom door as well. Feeling like eating something sweet, Eren opened the fridge’s door before closing it pensively after.

Everything he had needed him to cook and man, he didn’t really want to prepare something at this time of the night. The tea should be ready in less than five minutes so he needed to be quick. Maybe he still had frozen cookies? 

The sudden idea made him eagerly open the freezer. There was indeed chocolate chip cookie mix but that’s not what caught Eren’s eyes, a plastic bag with a note on it made him furrowed his brows in confusion. 

_Relax and eat, that’s an order._

_Levi_

Little butterflies in his stomach at the view of Levi’s handwriting, Eren smiled softly at the _order_ of the man. The bag contained five little buckets of cookie dough ice cream, his favorite flavor. As if the man wasn’t charming enough of his own, he needed to win him over by his stomach too. 

After closing the freezer and leaving two buckets out on the counter in case Levi was also hungry, Eren warmed up the mugs for the tea with hot water from the kettle. He added two teaspoons of loose Oolong tea into each of their infusers with more hot water before letting it steep for a couple of seconds. He had time to take out two spoons from the kitchen drawer before the bathroom door opened again, making his heart jump in his chest.

“Tea?” Eren replaced the electric kettle and the tea bag as he spoke, trying to sound like usual but knowing very well that he was holding himself from looking at Levi. There was nothing sexier than a man after a shower, especially if they were as gorgeous as the captain. He took out the infusers of their mugs as quiet steps made their way to the kitchen. 

Eren briefly closed his eyes when he felt a presence in his back. 

“Yes, please.” 

Levi’s arm gently embraced his waist while his other hand went to grab a mug and take a sip. Eren felt himself melting under the unexpected tenderness, his head slightly turning to meet the soft skin of the man behind him. His nose delicately retraced Levi’s cheek before smelling the divine odour of musk and pins. _Fuck_ , he only needed a tiny push toward the man for his ass to be fully satisfated. It took a couple of seconds for Eren to finally find something to say.

“Thanks for the ice cream. I took one out for you, if you want.” He had whispered the words, feeling so at peace that he didn’t want to break the quietude of the moment. His hands were still on the counter, also holding his mug next to Levi's.

"Mmmh," The low humming of Levi as he kissed him under the jaw, sending a wave of chills along Eren's neck. His knees ready to give up at any moment now. "your fever really seems to have gone down, babe."

He bit his lower lip at the breathy tone, feeling light headed by all the sexual tension building in his pants. After letting go of his mug and pushing Levi's on the side, Eren then turned around to finally face the other. A hungry gaze similar to his was the last string before his reason to act like a respectable man vanished.

"You smell really _really_ good." The murmur was the last warning of Eren before taking possession of Levi's lips. The wet dark hair was soft under his fingers as the strong arm around his waist got suddenly tighter. Their hips met in an irresistible clash, leaving Eren breathless at the hot sensation against his thigh.

They were both _hard_. 

Like he weighed nothing, Eren felt himself being lifted and placed on the kitchen counter. The spoons dropped on the floor but were soon just an old memory as Levi's hands rapidly brought Eren close to the edge of the counter. A teasing mouth found his neck, kissing and biting roughly the skin. Eren softly moaned at the sinful attention, his legs possessively encircling themselves around the captain's hips. 

There was too much clothes between them, and not enough patience in this world to play nice anymore. Eren needed it, wanted to feel the delicious burn of his ass being so fucked that only one name would be left on his lips to beg for grace.

His hands were already trying to take off Levi's black shirt, feeling the smooth skin under his fingertips. The head of his cock was pleasantly pressed against the other's stomach, only clothes preventing the inevitable encounter. He had never felt this aroused before.

Eren kissed the crook of his lover's neck before licking it teasingly. The lewd moan coming from Levi's lips made him repeat the action _again_ , he wanted the man to lose his mind as much as he was. But it seemed like they were far from being done. 

"What about the ice cream, love?" Levi cupped Eren's face with his hands, their lips touching as he whispered his question. Playfulness dancing in his silver eyes, a silent appetite to be fulfilled. Both were a mess of sexual desires, only talking was just so to make one of them lose control first. 

An amused smile slowly reached his face, seeing right through the man’s little act. Eren’s hands sensually followed the back muscles until reaching the firm bare stomach of Levi that deliciously contracted under the caress. If the man wanted to play, then he would be served. 

“What about it, _captain_?” Eren had moaned the nickname like the good boy he knew he could be.

His fingers touched without pressure the ribs of the man, retracing the muscular chest and their ripped definition before delicately following the appetizing crescendo of abs, while adding small yet mesmerizing hip thrusts. Levi had remained quiet, seeming to also be captivated by the indecent motion. His muscles gently contracted under the caresses. The breaths of Eren were heavy, his lips were swollen and red from being harshly bitten. The sensation of his erection finally getting more pronounced friction was divine, even more so knowing against _who_ he was grinding. 

The dim light of the oven was the only thing left in the apartment before darkness took over the kitchen. He stopped himself when he felt the beginning of the sweatpants. His hands were burning to explore, touch, _feel_ Levi’s cock before tasting it in his mouth and feeling it bouncing repeatedly in his begging ass.

His heartbeats were deafening in his ears from the devouring need to suck the man dry like no one ever did before. The thought made Eren unconsciously pass the tip of his fingers into the pants of Levi, the thin skin he caressed was _so_ soft and so _very_ close to the appealing devil.

The groan he heard in his ears sent goosebumps over his legs that were now pressed against the cabinet under the counter, only his ass had remained in contact with the marble material. Possessive grips on his hip bone made him open his green eyes he didn’t notice he had closed. Levi’s gaze was dark, his mouth was letting a warm and slightly irregular breath mix with Eren’s. 

“...I’ll clean the mess later.” 

They both moved at the same time, mouths and tongues tasting the other like there were no tomorrow. Eren’s hands feverishly grabbed Levi’s hard cock as he felt a firm, addicting squeeze over his bare ass. A voluptuous moan escaped his lips, the erection in his hands was hot, wet with precum and making his ass twitch with envy. As he slowly started to masturbate Levi, the grip on his ass only got stronger, inviting Eren to go faster.

Shivers of pleasure made me expose his neck, he couldn’t resist being manly handled by his captain. It was his weakness.

“ _Please,_ ” His body language was loud and clear, Eren was at his limit. It was surely not healthy to wait that long, he couldn’t even think straight anymore. 

Hell with doing it in a bed. The wall, the floor or even the counter was all he needed. And it wasn’t as if they had the patience or the time to be gentle at this point. Eren wanted to be fucked again and _again_ in every goddamn room or furniture he possessed. The hands of Levi guided his ass to accentuate the devilish rubbing act against each other, making Eren gasped for air. It appeared that redecorating the apartment with sex and sweat wouldn’t be an issue for his lover. 

“Keep moving, babe. Don’t stop.” One hand of Levi temporarily let go of Eren’s bruised ass.

The quiet sound of something being placed on the counter didn’t even bother him, too immersed in moving his hand over Levi’s cock to register what was happening. His own erection was getting more and more painfully hard by all the friction they were creating together.

Only when he felt a cold sensation near his hole did he slowly reduced the pace of his body. Levi had _lube_ on his fingers, probably had carried it in his sweatpants after his shower. The realization hit Eren like a storm, the man was as affected and sexually attracted to him as he was. Fuck, he wished the morning never came. 

“Please, Levi. Plea—” The begs got stuck in his throat, instead a feeble moan filled the kitchen. Levi had pushed one finger past the rim, teasing and caressing the wall before retracting it with an agonizing slowness and making him lose contact with Levi’s erection. But what really made him lose all self control was when he felt his pants dropped on the floor. 

“You’re perfect.” Levi’s husky voice had directly whispered in his ear. 

With a quick kick, Eren sent away his sweatpant somewhere on the floor before roughly kissing Levi, his hands messing with the raven hair. Everything was on fire, the kiss, the fingers fucking him and exploring his hole deeper with every push, and the man himself giving him exactly what he needed at this instant were all so overwhelming, so addictive. His legs embraced and pressed the man so there was no space left between them. 

Levi momentarily let go of Eren’s lips to open with his teeth and his free hand what appeared to be a condom. His ass was eagerly trying to follow and deepen the stimulation of being stretched by now _three_ fingers but the next second, he felt empty.

“L-Levi,” Only for a second did he think they will fuck on the counter before rapidly feeling himself getting impatiently pushed against the door fridge. Magnets and papers dropped loudly on the floor but they were so far in the lust and the rush that nothing could’ve stopped them. Eren’s back would probably have a bruise the next morning but he couldn’t care less. The back of his knees were now supported by Levi's arms, exposing shamelessly his ass with lube at the entrance

Sweat and precum were mixing between their bare stomach as they got closer, both panting at the rush of adrenaline. The head of Levi’s erection teasingly rubbed around his rim before finally pushing itself into Eren. 

“ _A-ahh_ " Levi moaned against his mouth, his dick only half way inside Eren. “Babe, fuck, you are so tight.” 

“Feels good?” Their foreheads were pressed against each other. Eren’s body was trapped between the fridge and Levi’s burning skin, the thumpings of his heart were resonating in his head. _Fuck_ , Levi was handeling him in the most sexiest way. 

“Feels amazing, love.” The panting voice of Levi melted what was left of his heart. Slowly, Levi pushed his hard cock past the last resistance of his hole, making Eren gasped and moan at the same time. 

“L _-Levi._ ” Big and full. It was _so_ big inside him, stretching his hole to its limit. His ass was trying to adjust to the size of Levi’s cock, his hands firmly holding onto the man’s shoulder to anchor to something, anything to stay on Earth. “Please!” His mind was fogged, not even knowing what he was begging for but his ass started moving on its own for any kind of stimulation.

Like a switch, Levi pulled out almost completely before roughly entering Eren’s hole deeper than before. The pace of his hip thrusts was dangerously slow, but _so_ hard that it made Eren shiver. The pain and the pleasure were dancing in an attractive cocktail, making it the most addictive at this instant.

The fridge was trembling behind his back at each movement. Levi slightly guided his legs closer to his chest, adjusting the angle before pushing again with more force. 

“Mmh! Lov-” There was no need to say more, Levi was already going faster, overly abusing his bundle of nerves with every thrust inside his ass. “I can’t..oh _fuck_.” Eren was not even making sense, the sensation was like a firework starting from his toes all the way to the tips of his ears. Every fiber in his body was on fire, electrified by the insatiable pace of the man. It was only a question of seconds before receiving the final sacrament. 

“Eren... _Eren._ ” The walls of his hole were getting tighter around Levi’s hot erection. Eren was gasping more and more for air, his vision seeing black spots from the intense sensation building in his guts. 

The hard cock of Levi was bouncing so deep, so intensely that Eren could die tomorrow and still feel the entire length of the man in Paradise. Their moans and groans were getting louder in the apartment, hell probably the entire fucking building could tell that Eren was being fucked and loving every second of it.

His abused ass was trying to follow each thrust but he was only a mess of lube and saliva, gasping to find air that was lacking now with the hot temperature of the room. Levi was not not simply fucking him, the man was making sure that Eren wouldn't be able to forget this night, this pleasure. It was surreal.

“Fuck, I'm cummin-” Their mouths found each other in a brutal way, the lack of air mixed with both panting to chase their pleasure were making it difficult to push what was most probably the best orgasm he had ever felt before. Only seconds after and quick last thrusts, Levi moaned Eren’s name, finally cumming inside of him. 

They were both breathing heavily against each other’s chest. His legs were weak on his feet as Levi carefully let go of them, his mind still high on the waves of pleasure he just felt and his ass feeling empty but deliciously satisfied. Eren softly kissed Levi before taking out the rest of his clothes and trashing the used condom off for Levi. His cum had been spread over their stomachs and shirts.

After rolling and tossing hazardly everything on the kitchen’s floor, he felt himself for the third time this night being lifted by Levi’s arms, his legs finding their natural place around his lover’s waist. His hands were affectionately caressing the soft dark hair, laced behind the man's head.

“You must really like doing this, captain.” Eren laughed while saying this, feeling himself lucky to be cherished like a precious thing even after sex. Levi held him in his arms, moving around the mess around them before slowly walking towards the bedroom door. 

“Only with you, babe.” Eren smiled all the way to his room as Levi carried him and kissed him tenderly. There was nothing he didn't like about this beautiful night and the man himself.

Feeling exhausted but fufilled both physically and emotionally, they took a short moment to wash themselves just to clean the remaining sweat and cum on them. It didn’t take long before they found themselves under the warm blanket of his bed. Eren briefly looked at his phone that had stayed on his night drawer the whole time, noticing several missing calls from his mother. 

From: Mom

_Sweetheart? You okay?_

He didn’t even bother to open his messages, the arms of Levi were already bringing him in a close hug, the mattress big enough for them both. His back was pleasantly pressed against his lover’s chest, both gradually calming their respiration as sleepiness slowly took over the room. A familiar vibration made his phone screen open on a new message, both men unaware that melted ice cream on the counter was the least of their worries.

From: Mom

_Annie told me you were sick._

_I will bring you food tomorrow morning._

_Sleep well, baby!_

Who said the more the merrier again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely people! I cannot believe I was able to post it before Friday…I was really into this chapter 🙈
> 
> I changed the rating (Yeah!) and hopefully, I didn’t surprise anyone with a Top!Levi & Bottom!Eren sex scene 
> 
> How did you find it? (-3 degrees Celsius the temp at which ice cream kinda start to melt)
> 
> Smut is still an ongoing learning process for me, so please spare me 😂🙏 
> 
> This is also a very me thing here – I don’t give a damn about comfort or a bed; counter or walls are 😳 for me
> 
> Tbh, I never expected to write this much for a fic, so thank you for all the love and comments, I never stop smiling when I read your reactions and thoughts.
> 
> I love y’all A LOT and see you in about two weeks!!


	8. Dinosaur man

“... _muffins._ ” 

A soft, cute little voice mumbled the word, making the older man smile endearingly. How long has he been awake? At least long enough to know that Eren liked blueberry muffins, smashed potatoes with carrots and couldn’t find the eggs in his imaginary fridge.

Levi had never believed all those bullshit things about sharing a bed and morning breath being a pleasant experience. Hell, if there was something full of germs, it was certainly a bed. He had always preferred to sleep in his office chair or on the couch, and by _sleeping_ , he meant napping here and there for a few hours only. Basketball practices started at eight o’clock sharp, so he would usually workout before the others arrived. 

Weekends were no exception...or so he thought. 

But as soon as he had opened his eyes, he knew he was screwed. His heart skipped a beat at the unexpected sight. There, on the pillow next to his, was the _adorable_ sleeping face of Eren only inches away from his. 

" _Choco...muffins..._ " 

They said that the Devil worked hard but Eren-I-am-too-pretty-for-my-own-good-Yeager was certainly working harder. 

Levi wasn’t the type to stay put, even on the court, but how could anyone resist this temptation? Eren’s pink, very kissable lips were slightly opened in his sleep, making Levi’s gaze lose focus on them for several seconds. The light passing from the sides of the blinds illuminated the bedroom, gradually warming the bed. The younger man had probably turned around during the night, explaining why they were facing each other now. 

Their legs were intertwined, but the rest of their bodies were yet to be touching. The blanket was almost all on Eren’s side and more than half of it was on the floor, but that only added to the list of things that Levi found charming about him. _Blanket stealer._ Hell, even his sneezes were probably fucking damn adorable and this was saying about Levi’s mental stability. Piece of chocolate hair had fallen on Eren’s forehead, almost begging the captain to do something.

Taking a deep breath before moving his right hand, Levi gently brushed away a strand of hair. His index then delicately followed Eren’s nose before ever so slowly caressing the softness of his inviting lips, imagining their taste. The room was so quiet, only the steady respirations of the men could be heard but Levi could feel the strong thumpings in his chest. 

His grey eyes were not leaving the delightful vision as his lover made a low hum of happiness. The bed smelled divine, like rain after a hot day, and along with the beautiful man next to him, he wasn’t sure he could sleep someplace else after today. Levi bit his lower lip at the sound, mesmerized by its cuteness, the back of his hand continued to feel the soft cheek calling for tenderness. But he should have figured that a sleeping Eren was also a _very_ dangerous thing to be around. 

Unconsciously, the sleeping form of Eren moved closer to the touch. His warm hands encountered the naked chest of Levi, while his right leg devilishly placed itself on top of Levi’s hip, making the captain softly groaned at the enticing new position.

The action had made Eren’s blue shorts lifted on his bare ass, exposing more than enough tanned skin. Levi slightly lowered his head at the view. Flashbacks from last night were all rushing through his head. Eren’s _teasing hand_ , Eren’s _beggins_ , Eren’s _tight_ and _perfect_ _hole_ —

"... _Levi._ "

The name had been breathly moaned as Eren brought his face under Levi’s chin, closing the remaining gap between them. Their hips were deliciously pressed together, sending promising goosebumps along the captain’ spine. _Fuck._ If this was what to expect every time they slept in the same bed, he would probably never go back to work. 

" _Le...vi..._ "

Not a second passed before Levi possessively grabbed the naked leg placed over his waist while kissing the top of Eren’s sleeping head. He had no self-control when it came to his pretty lover, even more so if he was acting this needy. Like a kid playing with a box of matches, it was hard to stop once the flame had spread. Levi’s hand sensually touched the knee, before caressing the smooth, hot skin of his muscular thigh and finally reaching the limit of Eren’s attractive ass. The breathing he felt in his neck had gotten slightly faster, only encouraging the captain to be more bold with his hand. 

“ _Mmmh…_ ”

The firm yet affectionate squeeze he gave on Eren’s ass made him _move_ against Levi’s half hard cock in the most delectable, indecent possible way. _Adorable little shit_. There was only one thing left to do here. He shut his eyes before squeezing it _again,_ recreating this electrified motion between their bodies. 

A defended sigh escaped his lips as one of his legs went between Eren’s, approfonding the slow grinding of their hips. The front of his boxer was getting wet with precum. He tried to control his loud breathing but failed to be discreet. Levi wanted to go _faster,_ his mind picturing the bouncing ass of Eren taking his erected cock and sweetly calling his name like a good boy. 

“Ah fuck, Eren…” Levi was not able to keep his voice down any longer, the sensation was better than masturbating, _way_ better. His grip was tenderly holding Eren’s ass, already addictive to his perfect shape. The mattress felt hot under his body as he rubbed his cock with more force, gasping for air. He was so lost into the intoxicated feeling of pleasure that he noticed only too late the amused chuckle in the room.

“Having fun, I see.”

The thigh on his hip suddenly contracted at the same time as two hands pushed his naked chest. Levi didn’t even have time to process the words that he found himself on his back, a not so sleepy Eren sitting on top of him. His gaze met silly green eyes, a playful smile and fluffy bed hair. A fluttering feeling had taken over the captain’s body.

Indeed, Levi never wanted to leave this bed.

“...Morning, captain.” There was probably nothing more beautiful at this instant that this man, especially with those pretty legs of his. Eren slowly bent himself over Levi’s upper body, his hands feverishly following the muscles until their lips were only inches away from each other. “Is _that_ for me?” 

As he said _‘that’_ , Eren deliciously rubbed his open asscheeks against Levi’s hard cock, making him groan with delight. His grey eyes momentarily closed as his hands gently caressed the thighs offered, guiding them in their sensual motions. The feeling between them was so _good_ yet so _frustrating_ because of the little barrier of clothes between his cock and this sweet hole. It was a supplice, an appetizing one and Levi loved every second of it. But so was Eren.

“You know what is funny? I dreamed of you last night and here you are under me and _hard._ ” Eren had started to place open-mouth kisses on Levi’s neck, his voice was slightly panting as they continued to move against each other at a painfully slow pace. “And I gotta say that I am enjoying the view, captain.” 

“Mmh...and how are you feeling this morning, babe?” Levi roughly brought Eren’s bottom on his erection, making them both shivered at the diabolic act. The sun was now hitting them both with its light. The hands of Levi moved to the side the blue shorts of Eren to free the round cheek of his ass, allowing him to tenderly squeeze it. An appreciative hummed escaped his throat at his finding. 

“My ass is still sore,” Eren repositioned himself, his hands leaning on Levi’s stomach as he started riding him, making delicious movements of grinding with his hips. His voice moaned the last words. “but I like the feeling _a lot_." 

They had just started to increase the pace, their breathing slowly becoming louder in the bedroom when a regular vibration coming from the nightstand made both men turn in the direction of the noise.

Eren, who was still on top of Levi’s body, grabbed his phone in an attempt to turn it off before quickly opened it, his eyebrows raising in disbelief. Levi was not really sure what had made his lover looked so worried all of sudden but it sure helped him forget his boner. 

“...Levi? My mom will be here in about 20 minutes.” Eren had taken place next to Levi on the mattress, his phone in his hand. His expression had switched from happiness to concern as they locked eyes. Nervosity could be heard in his voice. “I understand if you don’t want to...you know, meet her.” 

Levi didn’t even take a second before answering, his heartbeat thumpings violently in his chest at the idea of Eren being sad.

“I would love to, if that’s okay with you of course.” The feeling was sincere, and the idea to meet Eren’s mother was a pleasant thought. The smile he received in response definitely took away his breath, making him chuckled for an unknown reason. Eren hungrily went for Levi’s lips as he jumped on top of him again. 

They probably spent five more minutes kissing in the bed and touching each other in order to relieve the burning tensions of their cocks but a cold shower was the best solution they had. They alternated for the shower since the space was too narrow for the both of them to be together.

Now wearing simple black jeans with a long-sleeved shirt, Levi went back to the bedroom to get the rest of his things. His phone showed no missing call which was unexpected since he had missed the morning practice but his confusion was quickly answered as he opened an unread text. 

From: Pain in the ass

_Don’t come to work! I already told the entire team you were nursing your precious Eren._

_You owe me BIG TIME. I want details when you are home._

Levi shot a furtive glance at Eren as he read Hange’s message. The young man was still only in his boxers with a baggy white shirt, exposing his tanned firm stomach as he bent to search for pants. The captain continued to stare, not even caring if his team knew. Hell, Eren was a walking sin and he probably didn’t know himself.

The remaining time was them trying to quickly clean the kitchen, putting away the cold tea and the now melted ice cream pints in the trash. Levi had _insisted_ that bacteria can grow on unfrozen ice cream and he would buy _hundreds_ of pints if that could convince his lover to not refreeze them. Eren simply softly chuckled as he threw the ice cream away, saying that he liked when his captain was taking care of him.

The quick knocks at the door resonated in the apartment, making both men gaze at each other before a smile took place on their lips. Anticipation, nervosity and happiness danced around them as Eren went to get the door.

“Wait a sec.” 

Eren had already his hand on the doorknob when Levi suddenly brought him close to him, their lips meeting for a kiss that soon turned into more than one. His hands were already going under Eren’s shirt, touching the soft skin near the end of his back. He felt little goosebumps under his fingertips as he slowly let go of his lover’s lips. 

“Now you can open the door, love.” 

It was maybe the fact that they couldn’t finish what they had started this morning but Levi knew better. He couldn’t resist an occasion to tease this lovely young man.

“You did that on purpose, right?” It wasn’t a question, but a fact. Eren’s tone was slightly hoarser in his ears but that only brought a silly smile on Levi’s lips. His lover’s face as they looked at each other was a sight to see, delicious blushing cheeks with eyes sending little daggers at him. 

Levi bit his lower lip, really turned on by Eren’s adorable attitude but now time was lacking for them to play. He gave one last kiss on his lover’s red cheek before firmly squeezing his ass. The moan he received in return was one to be damn for.

“ _Of course I did, babe._ ” He whispered the words that were only meant for Eren to hear as he turned the doorknob for him, his other hand not leaving Eren’s waist. The knowing smile he saw on the woman on the other side of the door _clearly_ could have embarrassed him if he had been younger but that only made Levi internally smirk. _She heard us._

As they let her into the apartment, Eren and his mother greeted each other with a warmful hug, both having this familiar softness vibe around them. Carla briefly checked her son’s forehead, before giving him a big pot of food. Levi could tell from where Eren had taken on his beauty and physical attributes. Indeed his mother was a pretty woman. 

Carla then looked at him, a welcoming smile on her lips as she nodded in his direction. 

“Levi, this is my mother Carla.” Anyone could tell Eren liked his mother dearly, especially with how he presented her with such a happy smile. And this was another thing to appreciate about the young man, his unconditional love for people he cared about. “Mom, this is Levi.” 

“I am his boyfriend.” Levi gave her a handshake, noticing in the corner of his eye the little smile on Eren’s face as he said this. The kind of flutterness he felt in his chest at this instant was new to him, but exhilarating, like this was supposed to be. They were boyfriends and Levi was proud to say it aloud. “Nice to meet you, ma'am Yeager.”

“Oh, so this is the famous Levi, eh? You look even more handsome in person.” She also took Levi’s hand before sending a wink at Eren as she spoke, making her son hide his face in embarrassment. “No wonder Eren is suddenly interested in basketball now.” 

This comment sure made Levi gazed at a flustered Eren, unconsciously biting his lower lip in an attempt to not smile like a kid. This whole situation was not what he had expected when meeting his boyfriend’s family but he couldn’t be happier at the moment. And he surely was enjoying the fact that his lover didn’t try to deny his mother’s saying. 

While Eren went into the kitchen to prepare tea, Carla and Levi took their place at the table.

“Baby?” As Carla sat at the table, she slowly bent down on her chair to pick some _magnets_ and a forgotten paper on the floor. Levi’s mouth was a thin line, showing no whatsoever emotions of panic to be found out, but that was underestimating Carla Yeager’s power of deduction. “Did you try to redecorate overnight?” 

That surely made him clear his throat loudly, hoping to hide his amused chuckle at the _obvious_ insinuation of Eren’s mother. Clearly, Carla was not shy to tease her son about his sex life. Only a deep inspiration followed by unintelligible mumblings were heard from the kitchen as the sound of the fridge’s door opened. 

“Mom, you want some ice cream with your chai tea?” Eren deliberately avoided his mother’s question, instead showing her the cookie dough ice cream Levi had bought last night. 

“Yes, thank you dear.” 

Carla then not lost time before asking Levi various questions about his work and how the team was doing so far this season. The woman seemed to have dropped the idea of teasing them furthermore but as soon as Eren went to get the boiling water, Carla directly turned to look at Levi. Her brown eyes sparkling with amusement and interest, almost reminding him of Hange when they had a _bad_ idea in mind.

“So Levi, tell me everything.” How many times did he hear Hange saying that? Even the excitement in Carla’s voice was similar to them. “Which line did he use on you?”

“Line?” Levi furrowed his brows in confusion as he slightly tilted his head, not really understanding what Carla was asking him right now. Eren sat directly across from him, next to his mother. His head quickly jerked to look at his mother as he heard their conversation.

“Mom! What are you saying now?” Eren was hiding his face with his hands, probably wishing he could disappear in doing so. Levi’s confused expression met Carla’s amused one as she took a sip of her tea before talking again. 

“Well sweety, I am curious. You know, an old lady like myself wanna know the secret to pick up men too.” Levi’s eyes narrowed in interest as he heard Carla’s explanation. He did not remember a time where Eren had even tried a cheesy line on him. “So? Which one was it? Dinosaur? Car? Camping?”

“Oh my god, mom! No, I didn’t use them on him.” Carla laughed at the expression of panic on her son’s face. Eren had placed his hand on Levi’s, surely thinking that this could convince him to join his side of the story. “Levi, don’t listen to her.” 

“Please, _Carla,_ tell me more about it.” If he could tease some more his lover _and_ learn something new about him, then his mother appeared to be his best ally. “I am _very_ curious as to how Eren usually flirts with men.” 

“Well, _Levi_ ,” Carla was more than happy at the unexpected turn of events, turning on her seat to look at Eren as she spoke. “why not ask Eren to say them to you? So we can know if they work or not.”

“Yes, Eren, show me how it is done.” Instead of blushing like Levi thought Eren would have done, his eyebrows suggestively raised at the teasing tone. He knew his lover never liked to back down to a challenge. 

“...As you wish, coach Ackerman.”

The flirting tension he felt made him smirked even more as Eren slowly bit his lower lips while undressing him with his gorgeous green eyes. “ _Mmh..this should be interesting.”_ Levi was already captivated by the man and nothing had been said yet.

“Are you a raptor?” Eren took a second before talking again, his index playing with his open lips in a _so_ indecent way as they continued to observe each other. His cheeks had taken a deliciously shade of pink. “cause I wanna _ride you_ around town.” 

The silence that followed in the kitchen was quickly interrupted by Carla’s loud laughs, making Eren turn red in a flash while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. Levi maintained a composed face, not even seeming in the least affected by what the other just said. 

The pick up line had probably never actually worked on anyone, and surely it wouldn’t have on Levi either but at this instant, with this voice and pretty face, Eren could probably have seduced the pope if he wanted to. Memories from their little morning’s session simply confirmed to Levi that indeed his lover could _ride_ him and be _very_ good at it. 

He quietly readjusted himself on his chair, feeling aroused at the thought of messing his lover in the most beautiful way possible. Eren’s feet and his involuntarily got in contact under the table at the action. 

“Not bad. _Maybe_ you could have fooled me back then.” Levi had become a master in the art of playing indifferent. But he couldn’t deny the sexual desire he was feeling right now for his pretty lover. “Do you have another one?”

Eren gazed back at him, seeming to hesitate for a brief moment on what to say until a very silly smile illuminated his face. Levi felt without seeing something under the table a light touch on his right leg, making him even more aware of Eren’s voice in his ears.

"Hey captain, if I could rearrange the alphabet,” He sensually touched Levi’s inner thigh with his foot, almost purring the words. Levi's hips moved towards the caress, almost groaning as he felt a timid pressure near his cock. “you and I would be having sex in your car" 

_Sex in my car, huh?_ Levi's eyebrows raised in interest.

“Well?” Carla sounded like a teenager watching a romantic tv show, her excitement was contagious in a sense that even Levi chuckled softly at the tone. “Your verdict, which one won you over?” 

_Oh_ , indeed he knew which one he had preferred, but it would have been rather inappropriate to tell Carla that fucking Eren raw in his car was a _very_ alluring idea. Images of fogging windows and an appetizing naked Eren on the dashboard begging to go faster sent a pleasant twitch on his cock.

Levi placed one hand on his thigh, slightly readjusting his pants to hide the boner that had appeared. He was certainly not against a little rough time in his car. 

“Hard to say, Carla,” His chin placed on his close fist while Levi feigned to think for a minute. But his other hand that held Eren’s foot was now teasingly caressing the inside of his ankle, making his lover take a deep breath before drinking his tea. “but I guess I’ve a thing for dinosaurs.”

Carla laughed at it but his answer didn’t fool Eren in the least. Both his feet were now placed on Levi’s lap, touching and slowly moving in seductive back and forward motions on his inviting open thighs.

Their gazes were not leaving the other as Eren simply sent a wink at Levi, making the captain smirk at his teasing attitude. If they were alone, the table would’ve been trembling a _while ago_ under his impatient hip thrusts. But the men only continued to pleasantly flirt under the table, knowing that they were still in the company of Eren’s mother.

The three of them talked a bit longer until a lousy ringtone made Eren excused himself before standing up and rapidly walked to his bedroom where the noise was coming from. Levi took a sip of his tea, feeling himself strangely comfortable sitting with Carla. 

“Sorry, it is the landlord.” Eren gestured at Carla and Levi that it shouldn’t be long as he answered the call, his voice barely noticeable from where they were seated.

“Hi, Jimmy. What can I do for you?” 

Levi continued to look at Eren talking on his phone from the living room, finding himself softly smiling as he saw the other laughed at something that his landlord probably had said.

“I like you, Levi. I think you're gonna be good for him.” The tender tone used made Levi gazed back at Carla. She had an affectionate expression on her face as she also looked at Eren. “It’s been a while since he had been this happy to meet someone.”

“I am the lucky one here.” Nothing could have been more true, Levi surely felt blessed to be here, in this apartment.

It was in a comfortable silence that both Levi and Carla walked out of the building. This was a first for him, meeting a lover’s family member and actually liking them. They had spent the rest of the morning eating what Carla had brought to Eren. Strangely, Levi didn’t once think about basketball or the practice he had missed. This was more important. Eren was _more_ important. 

The peaceful ambiance between the son and his mother had made him unconsciously smile more than once, reminding him of the relation his own mother and his uncle Kenny had. There was a somehow tender yet amusing atmosphere when those two were joking around, giving him the impression to also be part of the discussion without actually having to always talk to feel included. 

Levi walked Carla all the way to her car, his bag of clothes balancing in his hand. The street was more crowded than yesterday, some were pleasantly chatting as they passed next to them but a few seemed to recognize the captain even with his sunglasses. Both of them didn’t pay attention to their surroundings as Carla gave a small yet warm hug to Levi. 

“Again, it was a real pleasure to meet you, Levi.” Carla’s brown eyes softly sparkled in happiness as she smiled at him, making Levi sincerely smile back at her. “Next time, we could organize a dinner all together.” 

“My treat next time.” And Levi would make sure that it was sooner than later that they will all meet again. 

After they waved at each other, Levi went back to his own car. A thought that had not left his mind since the morning made him take out his phone as he sat on the black leather seat. The familiar voice on the other side of the line brought a rare tender expression on his face.

“...Hey, it’s me.” Levi started the motor as he spoke, one hand already on the wheel. The brouhaha of the people outside had slowly started to increase in volume as more people stopped to look at his car. “Are you free right now by any chance?” 

Levi hung up quickly after that, changing the transmission from neutral to first speed as soon as he had the chance to go. The engine of the car was purring happily, he could feel under him the constant vibration of 840 horsepower asking to be pushed to its limit. The warm wind coming from his open window accompanied him all the way to the most southern area of the town.

It was time to pay a visit to his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves 😳
> 
> I was looking at the date last Saturday, thinking that ‘damn, I’ve surely a week or so to write this chapter but then I saw that there were only four days left…..LOU, YOU BIG IDIOT😅🙈 (I rushed to finish it on time)
> 
> How did you find this chapter? (sorry, it is a bit shorter than usual but I think it is because of the dialogue - which I am terrible at unless it is for flirting)
> 
> Fluffiness in its best and I thought that I should keep the smut for another FULL chapter (I wanted SO MUCH to continue the scene at the beginning but I cut it and it almost killed me to do so)
> 
> The pick-up lines aren’t from me! I was looking on Reddit for some stuff, and I saw them (I changed some words, so it could be more captain-like and sex in captain’s car instead🤭) 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. I think I am repeating myself here, but I feel bless to receive all of the unexpected love. 
> 
> Oh! Also….! I’ve an idea for a ABO fic involving levi/eren (I am a sucker for ABO fics and I cannot thank enough the wonderful writers who took the time to write them), hopefully you will also enjoy this story....!
> 
> A big thanks to Gabi for his help😭🥺
> 
> I love y’all (A LOT) and see you in two weeks!!❤❤


	9. Hustle me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here for you: [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xjda42BVKp22Al6Q3BwcT?si=V-L2_hBvScqG7z8OjYeQYA)

“A-again... _please_ , from the top.”

It happened on Monday morning. Something _unexpected_ and oh so _juicy_ that he had blocked his whole morning only for that. Eren was trying really hard to maintain his composure but his voice was slightly shaking, making it obvious that he was at his limit.

Even though they had closed the door of his office, the chances were slimmed to not be found out. Tears were already threatening to spill from his eyes as they gazed at each other. Eren pressed his lips together, wishing that he had a better self-control over his reactions. 

An amused chuckle broke the silence of the room before a clear and enthusiastic voice was heard again. 

“Latest rumors in the world of basketball...coach Ackerman from the Detroit Team is into _mature_ women.”

Carla was standing in front of him, holding in her hands a copy of the Weekly Detroit News magazine. Her face was redder than a tomato, and her cheeks were wet from tears of laughter. She was still wearing her panda onesie when she decided to barge into Eren’s office first thing in the morning.

Annie had been the one closing the door behind them, not without first sending dark looks to anyone staring at the _strange_ panda screaming about dating now a fine piece of coach. Eren was hardly gasping for air, his lungs were on fire from breathing too fast.

Hell if this was not the greatest morning of his life, Eren didn’t know what that was. He had awkwardly crossed his legs in the attempt to hold his pee but he was now dangerously close to needing new pants. His mother continued to read like it was the most natural thing on Earth, her dressed as a panda, Annie crouched next to the door and holding her stomach like it was painful to even stand up at the moment and Eren on the verge of wetting the floor.

“...According to an independent source, Ackerman left in a _hurry_ on Friday’s practice and was not present on Saturday’s. The man is known in the field for his irreprochable work ethic and his passion for the sport but are we now seeing a new side of the mysterious captain?"

Carla had to take a moment to breathe from all the excitement in her body.

"Several fans posted pictures on social media of what appeared to be their beloved coach and an unknown middle-age woman _hugging_ each other in front of her car. Some even reported that the two loverbirds promised to have dinner as a second date.” 

And _indeed_ , on the cover of the magazine, there was a picture of Levi and his mother hugging each other. Carla’s face had been blurry for confidentiality but Eren could easily recognize her as she had this familiar bun of hair on the side of her face.

He wondered if Levi had been informed about this _rumor_ but he sure hoped the man wouldn’t mind too much since this was just a misunderstanding. There was nothing more hilarious than his famous boyfriend supposedly dating his own mother just after they had fucked against his fridge the day before. 

Eren softly smiled at the memories of their weekend together. When did he become so lucky?

“Dear? Do you mind if I frame this and ask Levi to sign it?” Carla had lent a hand to Annie to stand up again, causing them both to almost trip over each other’s feet in the process. “My book club would be _so_ jealous.” 

“Sure, mom.” If this could make his mother happy, then Eren was also glad it happened. He didn’t mind if people didn’t know about his relationship with Levi. Annie was still a crying mess on the floor, making Eren squeeze his legs tighter to hold his pee. Hell, he wished he had a bathroom in his office now. “Annie, you okay girl?” 

“Er-Eren, since you started da-dating the coach, it just gets better everytime you guys meet.” Annie stumbled over her words as she finally stood up, her face had taken a pink flushed of someone who had too many drinks. “You should have your own comedy show.”

Before he could agree that _yes_ , a comedy show with hopefully a lot of sex wasn’t a bad idea to describe their relationship, his phone started to happily vibrate on his desk. They all saw who was calling and that alone made Annie laugh even harder as she repeatedly hit Carla’s back. The timing couldn’t have been better. 

Eren gestured to them to lower their voices as he answered. 

“Well hello captain,” Both Annie and Carla were staring at him with a knowing smile, making Eren furiously blushed in embarrassment as he turned to face the window. Maybe he shouldn’t have used this flirting tone in front of them. “You’re not working today?”

“Hey babe, I am but I wanted to talk to you about something quick.” Levi’s voice was low in his ears, slightly breathy like he had run or something which only made Eren’s heartbeats go faster. “Do you have a minute?”

“I do.” Eren rapidly gazed over his shoulder to see Carla and Annie taking a seat at his desk, looking at the rest of the magazine. “Something wrong?” 

“Well...Hange showed me an article this morning and I don’t know if you saw it but I got worried you would take it the wrong way and—”

“Levi, don’t worry.” Eren chuckled as he spoke, butterflies were dancing in his stomach like the first time he had seen the captain on the court. He really couldn’t resist his boyfriend’s adorable attention and knowing that he was worried about something so small was also why he was head over heels for Levi. “I saw it and I thought it was real funny.” 

“You sure?” Eren could hear the relief in Levi’s voice, which brought a little smile on his lips but then the captain went back to this teasing tone that characterized him so much. “...‘cause Carla is a fine lady so maybe I am dating the wrong Yeager—”

“Very _funny_ , Mr.Ackerman.” Fuck, why was he so charming even on the phone? This was the type of thing that usually was lacking in men nowadays, a good sense of humor sprinkled with sarcasm and confidence. Eren had the silliest smile now as he spoke. “Should we call the magazine to confirm your happy relationship with my mother?” 

Eren heard in his back the chuckles of both Annie and his mother, probably taking another _video_ just so they could laugh later again at him. Hell, and now with the amused laughs of Levi through the phone, Eren really felt like this morning was a blessing. 

“ _Mmh_ ...I think I’m gonna give you a chance to impress me before that happens, love.” Was that an invitation to be slutty? Eren slowly bit his lips at the thought, already imagining many ways to _impress_ the man. 

The door of his office closed at the same time, the others had probably left so he could finish his phone call with Levi. A playful yet more daring tone escaped Eren’s lips now that he was alone. 

“Careful what you are asking for, captain.” His forehead met the cold surface of the window, making Eren close his eyes at the sensation. God, he wished Levi was in his office right now. “Who knows what I could do if you lower your guard now?” 

“ _Babe_ ,” The word had been gently whispered, like a little warning that Eren was in trouble right now. And, oh if that didn’t send a pleasant twitch over his cock at the manly tone. _“Please,_ try and we will see who’s gonna be the most surprised."

The tenderness in Levi’s voice was tainted by a sly promise of something way more interesting than a simple ‘surprise’. And this was only the tip of the iceberg for Eren’s next torment.

But the real question here is how did this phone call end? Well, Eren had to _lock_ his office’s door after putting a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the doorknob. Levi had gone back to work but only after overly flirting with him over the phone. Fucking sexy captain and his goddamn perfect voice. Eren had never masturbated at work but now he could only curse at the lack of a private toilet in his office as he impatiently jerked himself, his tie in his mouth.

His muffled moanings had been all focusing on the image of a very _dominant_ Levi pushing everything off his desk to fuck him fast and deep. Thank god no one had come knocking at his door during that time, or _worse_ , his mother. But he could only be thankful to Annie.

She always had a sixth sense for those things, or probably a seventh one since she had taken Carla on an early lunch break while Eren had been on the phone with Levi, _and_ she had texted him saying that they should be back in half an hour. This was why Annie was his girl, and would always be regardless of any shit that could’ve divided them at first. Their friendship was a ride or die kinda love, and no one could replace that trust.

As he threw away a substantial amount of _tissues_ , he heard rapid knocks at his door before Carla and Annie came in again. Anyone would have noticed his burning red cheeks and the loose tie around his neck but for once, none of them commented on it—

“I guess you guys didn’t talk just ‘bout the magazine, eh?”

“ _...Little fucker_.”

He had probably sighed more often in the following hour than in the last week. And it appeared that not only his mother and Annie knew about Levi but now the whole floor where he was working was talking about his _dating life_ , as if it was a goddamn accomplishment. None of them actually knew who was his boyfriend and it was certainly a good thing.

He couldn’t imagine if people found out that he was dating a basketball coach, how he would be able to handle the drama. Hell, most people in the company had seen Eren playing volleyball in the team against the technology department, and _boy_ if that hadn’t been the most embarrassing moment of his life. 

To say that Eren had stayed locked in his office all day and feigned to be busy talking on the phone when someone came at his door was not even a joke. Therefore, with all the nerve-breaking stress of being pointed out as the guy that had received a smash on the head now dating a professional athlete, and the fact that he still had no clue why a red card was _still_ not a term in basketball, Eren should have had no trouble falling asleep that night.

But tonight was _different_.

He couldn’t sleep. There were nights like that but usually he would still stay in his bed and watch something on his phone. He had been thinking the entire day about it and there was nothing to do but simply give in into the attractive call of nature. And who knows? Maybe he wasn’t alone seeking some late-night fun.

Impulsively, he rolled over his bed to grab his phone placed on his nightshelf. The light coming from the screen illuminated the pink full lips sinfully bitten by white teeth. Hungry green eyes found the desired number. There was only one person he wanted to see. 

To: Captain Levi

You’re sleeping?

Maybe he should’ve looked at the time before sending his text, the clock indicating past one o’clock in the morning. Either Levi was sleeping, or he would think this was some sort of booty call after what happened today. Which, of course, Eren would _not_ be against but he was still old-fashion in his own way. The man deserved some kind of _entertainment_ before railing his ass. 

From: Captain Levi

No, just finished some paperworks. You okay, babe?

Well, now Eren just needed to figure out if his lover was up for some _ballsy_ entertainment. 

To: Captain Levi

Yeah, no worries! But...that means you’re free now?

Eren was more awake than ever, his mind going a hundred miles per hour at what could possibly happen tonight and if his boyfriend would also be up for what he had planned. But five minutes had passed and the other still hadn’t answered him.

Maybe his lover had actually fallen asleep, which would have been totally normal at this time and also a sign that this was a bad idea to begin with—

The screen of his phone suddenly illuminated an incoming caller, making his heart skip a beat at the unexpected turn of events. _Fuck_ , what if...sex on the phone was _hot_ and probably even more with the voice of the captain. 

“...Hello?” He whispered the word as he spoke, already imagining that it was Levi’s ass that had pressed on the call button by accident rather than the captain’s himself. 

“Yeager, you really have a way to ask me on a date.” 

He momentarily closed his eyes at the sweet reprimand. Levi’s manly deep voice was all he could think of now. Fuck and _fuck_ , he wasn’t sure if it was because it was late at night and he was in his bed but Eren wanted to hear _more_ now. 

“Oh? And is that a bad thing?” Eren’s eyebrows raised in interest, the sound of his bedsheet as he laid back again on his pillow quietly filled the silence of the room.

His eyes were looking at nothing in particular, the black ceiling was impregnated in his retina, forming blue spots here and there to adjust at the absence of light. 

“No, no, quite the opposite, babe.” He could almost feel the caressing tone of his man licking what was left of his inner decency. Delicious goosebumps formed over his bare chest as he brought his free hand over his lips to cover them. “I find it terribly attractive.”

“You’re not bad yourself too, _capt’n._ ” The word rolled over his tongue like melted chocolate over ice cream. He wished they were actually captain and subordinate. Hell, the pleasure he would felt from calling Levi his captain _all_ _day_ would certainly have ended up with them fucking in the horse stable more than once. 

The light coming from outside his window was meant not to be seen, only fearless flying travelers were usually the only creatures finding pleasure in them. Trashs and roads were the highlights of their trips, but somewhere not far near the end of the 94 was a gem that even crows circled around. 

“So? What should we do in the middle of the night?” _More than you can handle_ was all Eren could think of but why not try to play nice first?

“There was a place I wanted to go with you.” He couldn’t believe it. They were really doing this. Eren couldn’t help but feel himself going soft at how easy it was between them. Who would simply indulge his weird spark of energy even at one in the morning? Timidly, he bit his lower lip as he continued, his breathing quieter than before. “...should I send you the address and we meet there?”

The loud purring of an engine starting in the background only made the beating of his heartbeats getting stronger in his chest, as if to compete with the heavy horsepower of an unknown beauty with four tires and a wheel. 

“What if I get lost?” The amused chuckled of Levi could be heard again through the noise of a door closing. “I prefer to have you as my copilot, love.”

The man then hung out, saying that his sweet ass had better be ready by the time he called him again. It took only a second before Eren jumped out of bed to open the light of his ceiling, feeling the insane rush of adrenaline and flux of excitement to what was about to come.

As he abruptly opened his closet and pushed on the side all of his suits hung on black hangers, his eyes found the _perfect_ pair of jeans for tonight’s activity. 

Eren only had time to grab his long coat and his keys before he heard the rumbling noise of a car coming down the block. His neighbors would probably think there was a thief above their heads but he didn’t want to be careful tonight, he wanted to see his man even if that meant waking up one or two sweet ladies in the process. He ran down the flies of stairs to the main door of his building, only to freeze in shock at what was parked directly in front of him. 

“Should I give the two of you a moment?” 

A smirk on the corner of his lips, Levi had taken a step on the side so Eren could enjoy the full vision before him. And people, _what a view._

The curves of its blue body was like poetry, one would not dare to preach love in any other way. A piece of art could not have moved more Eren at this instant than this _car_. An Audi R8 V10 plus, limited edition.

As if mankind had stopped a moment to really think about their next creation, and had given birth to a supercar with a suspension to be damned for. The front bumper canard had aggressive lines, ideal for a smooth balance of the traction and an easy handling of the engine.

Like sex but with 602 horsepower vibrating under the paddle and constantly beggin to be pushed harder at every turn.

“...Levi, I think I could marry you for your car.”

Eren had finally taken the courage to approach the divinity on four tires. The wind peacefully lifted his curly brown hair as he spoke without thinking, his gaze not wanting for even a second to look away. 

“Alright babe,” Levi amusingly chuckled as he went over the passenger door to open it for Eren. His grey eyes sparkled with what seemed to be happiness and endearment when Eren walked to him and kissed him softly on the cheek at the polite gesture. “I will try to remember that.”

As he took a seat onto the black matte interior, smelling like a car that had never been used nor seen a day outside of the manufacturer, Eren frowned his eyebrows in confusion.

“An automatic?” Levi had taken place on the driver seat, before putting on his seat belt and switching from neutral to drive with his left hand as Eren spoke while also putting on his belt. “And here I thought you prefered the old fashioned way, cap’n.”

Indeed, a manual transmission meant a better control over the power given the wheels, _especially_ if one liked to go fast like his captain. The gear shift knob had the possibility to switch to the sport option but it was not the usual six speeds transmission. 

Eren pensively looking outside for the best direction to go, not really expecting an answer. 

“Well, I guess it got its advantage.” Eren turned his head as he felt a warm, affectionate sensation over his thigh, meeting the teasing gaze of his lover smiling at him. “Don’t you think, babe?”

_Do_ **_not_ ** _blush like a teenager._

Eren cleared his throat before indicating to take the next street on the right, his left hand naturally joining Levi’s that was placed on top of his thigh as they drove into the empty city.

The feeling in his chest could only take so much of this man but it seemed like Levi always found a way to expend his heart a bit more with an alarming ease every time. He had never enjoyed a ride more than at this instant.

“There.” 

As they pulled into the empty parking lot, the only source of light indicating any trace of activity was coming from one unique bulb hanging on top of the lonely door of the bar. 

_half heaven, half hell_

The neon sign had stopped functioning a while ago, only the word ‘hell’ shining at night for prayers to gather, but the owner had never replaced the broken ones. The man had laughed when Eren had asked him why he didn’t change them. His only answer was ‘Well, how would the sinners find their way home otherwise?’. 

“Six!” As soon as they got out of the car, Eren spotted the familiar owner posted right next to the door, a cigarette elegantly held between his lips like it was humanity's last boner. 

Six, the owner and old friend of Eren’s, was not someone you could simply passby in the street. Playful hazel eyes within its center, a brown ring seeming to look directly into one’s soul as if there was no place to hide. Even the pope would have been kneeling to confess his glorious sins if they had met. 

But maybe Eren was biased, maybe Six was just too much like Annie, angelic face but scary as fuck when you got them on the wrong side of the bed kinda day. Both seemed to be able to read Eren’s mind like he was an open book. 

The red hue illuminating his dark curly short hair reminded of this prohibited yet so attractive red alley hidden in the wave of drunkards and taverns in Amsterdam.

If Europeans had their guilty whore pleasure, well so did Eren with this bar. 

“Hey, gorgeous.” A friendly smile on his face, Six took one last puff of his smoke before throwing it away in the open dark night. His hands then went to hold Eren’s cheeks before giving a rapid kiss on each of them. “Long time no see.”

Even though it was summer in Detroit, Eren had never seen his friend in nothing else but fashion clothes, like everyday was podium day. But it wasn’t as if Six didn’t have the confidence to do so.

A black top with white letters telling the whole world ‘Does my brown skin offend you?’, blue Adidas pants complemented by flashy pink socks and white sneakers. Around his hips was his old navy banana bag with boats on it, probably with more than enough in it to be considered a smoke shop on its own.

Yeah, a true diva in a body to be damn for, or rather fuck by. But it had never been this way between Eren and him. 

“I see you brought me a man, huh?” Six sent a flirting wink at Levi, making Eren chuckled at his boyfriend’s stoic expression. And this was _why_ they were friends. There was no need for a filter between them since the first day they met in their business class at college. 

“Six, this is _my_ boyfriend Levi.” Eren especially emphasized on the word as he placed his arm around Levi’s shoulders, as if to protect him from the bad influence that could be Six. “Levi, this is Six, my shitty old friend.”

A heavy sign escaped Six’s lips as he shaked his head, feigning to be offended by Eren’s introduction of their relationship. 

“Well, _Levi_ , you are welcome to come anytime you want hun.”

This comment did bring an amused smirk at the corner of Levi’s lips, as Six opened the door for them both to come inside, sincerely thanking him in the process. Eren felt a small bubble of happiness in his chest as he saw it. The man was truly a gem, _his_ gem, for indulging even his pain in the ass friend Six.

The bar hadn’t changed much since his friend had bought it. Like they were stuck forever in the 70’s, the walls were dark wood panels, with orange vinyl stools and small squared tables spread around where some old regulars were already sipping on their third beers of the night. But the bar itself was the main attraction.

All the liquor bottles were placed on translucent shelfs that were spread across an entire wall, the counter was dark green wood with black tiny ondulated waves reminiscent of flames. Arachides in blown red glasses were placed here and there, an attempt for socializing when all you wanted was a shot of whiskey.

A female voice was passionately singing her love life through the speakers, the only country song you will ever hear in Six’s bar. _Before He Cheats._

Some would say it was Six warning any guy trying to ever mess with him, and some others talked about a story involving a blond guy and a well-placed kick where it hurts after finding out a threesome behind his back. Neither to say that _both_ sounded like him.

“So? What can I get for you, boo? The regular?”

Eren sent a quick look at Levi while pensively biting his lips. They were both working in a couple of hours and the man would have to drive them back afterwards. The choice wasn’t a hard one to pick. 

“Just give us iced tea, please.” He felt the hand of Levi gently grabbing him as he spoke, causing Eren to gladly get closer to his attractive boyfriend. Six softly chuckled as he saw the two men already acting like a married couple. “Is the nine free?”

Levi was already taking out the money for the drinks, with it a little extra. If that didn’t make his friend pleasantly grinned harder, nothing could have. 

“You’re in luck,” Six finalized the last touch to their drinks before pushing them towards Eren. Two glasses of a homemade iced tea showing beautiful shades of red, orange and pink with a little Hawaiian umbrella held at the rim. The enigmatic owner was already looking under the counter for something else. “they just left.” 

A knowing smile graced both Eren and Six’s faces as a rack with a colorful set of balls was placed into Levi’s hands. Hell, there was indeed a reason _why_ he liked this bar. 

The first game lasted roughly an hour and ended up with Levi winning. They both had one ball left on the table before Levi finished with a first clean bank on the twelve ball. Eren had observed with _great_ interest the perfect ass of his man bending over the table, expertly calling the eight ball in the right corner pocket before indeed lent the last shot. 

But Eren had everything he needed now and oh boy, this would be a piece of cake. 

“Wanna play again?” Levi had turned to face him, his wooden cue still in his right hand. The last clients of the bar had left a while ago, making them the last ones in the room. Their gazes met at the same time as a new song started playing.

The seductive keys of the bass along with the smooth, deep voice of the singer made Eren slowly undressing his man with hungry eyes. Black leather jacket, deadly low waist jeans showing an appetizing v-line of muscles and grey shirt with the first buttons opened. 

Yeah, a real piece of _cake._

“Sure,” Eren walked to the side of the table, his hips sensually balancing at the slow, inviting rhythm of the music. He inserted a coin to release the balls from the storage into the playing compartment. The mechanism was accompanied by the familiar sound of objects rolling and passing on every chute. His fingers slowly followed back the dark wooden rail of the table, his lips gently being bitten as if he didn’t notice the captain’s gaze on him. “Who’s breaking this time?” 

He delicately took out the rack from under the table, his ass presenting itself at Levi as he started placing the balls randomly one by one in the triangle. 

_“...You, love_.” Levi sensually embraced him from behind, his voice whispering the words as he delicately tenderly kissed the nape of Eren’s neck. Their hips were appetizingly pressed against each other, which only made him shivered at the contact. “Should we add a little something for the winner this time?” 

The tone was amused, caressing almost as if the man simply wanted to tease since he just won the first game but that only made Eren internally smiled. His hands had not left the head rail as he chuckled softly. He was waiting for that moment, and like _hell_ he would pass on this opportunity to _impress_ his captain. 

“How can I refuse such a _generous_ offer now?” 

As he said this, Eren expertly replaced each ball in the rack so that stripes and solids could mix in a harmonized rainbow of colors. 

The eight ball was proudly attracting all the attention as the ten and three balls were positioned on its sides. His fingers found the corner of the triangle before gently pushing it in a back-and-forth motion so that the balls could be tightly squeezed together.

Levi had followed the movement as he placed his hands on Eren’s, his body deliciously contracting so that he could not not notice the strong muscles of his captain’s arms and chest pressed against him. His knees had slightly dropped to have his ass closer to the clothed paradise. 

“It seems like you have done it quite often,” Levi had murmured in Eren’s ear, his lips lightly brushing over his lobe. The burning temptation of forgetting about the game was thick in the air as they intertwined their fingers together, making Eren lose focus on the rack for a brief moment. “right, my love?” 

The apex of the triangle found its place on the foot spot as Eren aligned the yellow one ball on it. Slowly, he took out the rack, his heartbeats deafening in his ears at the close proximity of their bodies. 

“I guess I’m okay at the game, captain.” Eren’s voice was hoarser than before as he turned while holding the rack in one hand to gaze at the man.

His other hand slowly grabbed the dark, raven hair of Levi to bring their faces together, softly kissing the delectable offered lips. It was probably too late now to not be addictive to the taste of this gorgeous basketball coach. 

Levi happily obliged, holding them both against the rail and opening his lips so that their tongues could teasingly caress each other in a ballet of desire and hungry needs. Eren felt himself becoming lightheaded, like one may be as they escalated a high mountain.

Kissing had always been his weakness and the captain knew it very well. But the lack of air saved Eren as the little grip on his waist slowly got loose again, making him open his eyes he didn’t notice he had closed. 

“Was that supposed to be a good luck kiss, babe?” With an amused smirk on the corner of his lips, Levi handed his wooden cue to Eren, the chalk also in his hand. If cockiness had a name, it would probably be Levi Ackerman. And fuck if that didn’t turn him on even more. 

Eren cleared his throat to chase the flux of indecent thoughts ravaging his already depraved mind. He needed to begin his plan. Like he was in his bedroom alone, he took off his long black coat, now only in a baggy green crop top and black skinny jeans. A manly humming of approval coming from his side made Eren bite his lips in pleasure.

_Levi liked his ensemble_.

After taking the stick and methodically applied the dusty blue diamond chalk on the tip, Eren took the cue ball and walked over the head rail. The dimmed halogens above the table were nicely illuminating the green play field as he evaluated the distance separating the head string from the apex of the triangle.

When Levi had to break on their first game, the man had simply aligned the white ball in the center on the line, directly opposing the head ball before powerfully shooting. It wasn’t a bad thing to do per say but Eren wasn’t there to play nice nor to lose.

The calm in the room was transported by the silky music playing always so aguishly in the background. Eren posted the white cue ball along the head string, near the right green cushion. Only about two inches were between the white ball from the long rail, making it harder for anyone to aim but only doubling the rewards if handled in the proper hands. 

Eren slowly bent himself over the table, exposing some tanned skin of his lower back in the process. His right shoulder lifted it in the air, holding the stick at his hip and carefully aligning closer to the cue ball. There was no tension in his body, his feet were slightly apart from each other and his knees were bent to equilibrate his center. 

The shaft of the stick softly slided between his index and thumb that were creating a ‘V’ as the rest of his hand was in a steady bridge form for more support. He spotted the blue two ball on the second row, directly behind the head ball.

The quiet noise of a deep breathing not far from him made his heartbeats somehow go faster.

His eyes momentarily looked up, encountering the silver ones of Levi at the same time as his stick hit the dead center of the white cue ball. The loud sound of balls hitting one another and rapidly spreading around on the table, creating a colorful harmony of sounds but that was not even on Eren’s mind, no, it was _this_ man.

His captain’s expression was calm, _too_ calm, but an amused smile had appeared on Levi’s lips as Eren raised himself upward again. 

“Just okay, huh?” The tone was playful, deep and very, _very_ sexy, causing a delicious trail of goosebumps where Eren desired to be touched the most at this instant. Fuck that he loved this sensual voice and the man that went with it. 

Eren moved around the table, the hidden butt cuts of his jeans pleasantly stretched themselves as he placed himself to aim the fourteen near the right pocket corner. There was more than enough skin exposed to make anyone turn around to look at the Devil’s little trick. Which explained why he stayed longer than needed bended to hit the ball, feeling the burning gaze of Levi on his ass and liking every second of attention.

A soft groan coming from behind him made him happily smile as the green ball entered the pocket. 

“I call on the stripes.” It wasn’t a hard choice to make, there were two stripes down compared with only the two blue ball that had entered during his break shot. And how the balls were spread seemed to slightly favor his side of the coin. 

As Eren looked at the setting displayed before him, evaluating his options for his next move, he saw Levi coming closer to the foot rail. They both were analyzing the game, a comfortable silence surrounded them for a short instant. 

“...What about the thirteen?” His eyes directly went to search for the say ball, spotting it near the right side pocket, an easy hit indeed. Eren looked up again at Levi. Strands of raven hair were darkening his eyes, making it impossible for him to read his expression. But it wasn’t his first game nor would it be his last.

“That’s not a good idea.” For once, he felt at advantage here. They were not on a court, Eren knew _exactly_ what he was doing. The tip of his stick pointed out the balls. “The two ball is straight next to it, so when you would have to hit it, the thirteen would block your shot and you would do the work for me, capt’n.” 

It was something Eren had learned after years of playing in college. Easy balls shouldn’t be taken for granted _but_ one must always clear the center of the table first since they could block a potential shot later in the game. Problematic balls were the ones that a player would avoid until the very end, and usually resulting in their opponent winning. 

Instead, he decided to aim the blue ten ball. It was the only one of his that had remained in the center and was not in a ‘group’, meaning here that it has no possibility of interactions or ideal foul stopper.

By the way it was placed, he could try to shoot for the left side pocket but that meant he would probably hit one of Levi’s in the process. Even though it wasn’t technically a foul, he had another idea. 

With little effort, Eren’s heels lifted like a pole dancer to reduce the distance between the tip of his stick and the white cue. His entire body was contracting to hold the pose, the light above him was casually following the curve of his lower back like it was giving its blessing.

“Those are _really_ interesting pants, love.” Eren felt a delicate caress over the skin of his ass that was revealing. Levi had gotten behind Eren, his hands firmly holding into place the sweet hips of his lover like they belonged there. And fuck if Eren didn’t want to moan at the way his ass was indecenly pressed against Levi’s cock. “You should wear them more often.”

Eren closed his eyes as the blue tip of his wooden stick hit the white cue ball. The sound of the silence only confirmed what he had painfully hoped wouldn’t happen. He could tell without looking that his boyfriend was pleased about his miss shot. Indeed, the blue ten ball was still intact from any menace, and now it was Levi’s turn. 

“ _You wanna play soft,_ ” Levi took possession of Eren’s red lips as soon as they were both facing each other, making him moaned into the kiss. Their lips brushed one and other over the murmured words while their eyes met like they both saw each other in another light. Playfulness, desire to dominate, lust to fuck on this table until morning shine. Everything was on fire. “ _I_ _’ll play soft._ ”

The captain then placed himself next to Eren, his own stick already held with his muscular right shoulder remaining close to him. His entire body sharply positioned like it was no man business, but Eren only saw a man who _knew_ how to aim a target and this was a _really_ bad sign. The poor red ball had no chance, and everyone around the table knew it.

“...But if you wanna play hard,” Levi’s voice was dangerously soft as he spoke, making Eren slowly bite his lips. The desire to be bad was so tempting, only so he could hear more of this dominant yet sexual tone. Only the stick had the pleasure to be held into his lover’s hands now. “I’ll play _hard_ , babe.”

Green met silver again as the red ball entered the corner pocket.

A drop in the beat of the song playing followed by an inviting **Fucked and drank all night** smooth bedroom voice claimed over the room like it was only the beginning, like they would need more than a shot of whiskey to slow down the fall. 

But there was still time before the sunset rose, _a lot of time_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well damn. I cannot believe I finish this chapter (ALMOST) on time but I truly had so much fun writing this one. My longest chapter ever.
> 
> How did you find it, my loves? 
> 
> I am a sucker for cars, and games like billiard, and sports.
> 
> Also, I thought it was so weird and unlike me to write at the beginning note so I simply put the Spotify playlist for this chapter. If you enjoyed it, then I am glad (might do another one for the next chapter...)
> 
> I also added a little cheatsheet if you don’t know how pool usually work. It took me a little time to have a ‘good’ set for my rack (this was done with good intentions!!)
> 
> Gabi (nickname is Six), my love and bestie, I dedicate this OC to you. I think I did justice to your love for fashion and your adorable shitty attitude. Thank you for always supporting me and my messed-up mind, and for edit this whole chapter in such a short notice.
> 
> Thank you for all the love and sweet comments, you all know how much it means to me and you guys are the best.  
> I love y’all and see you in two weeks!!!


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